Dragon Demon
by YankeeSamson
Summary: He saved her. She rejected him. How far is she willing to go to get him back? Will he even take her back? AU NaLu
1. Chapter 1

**New Story! This is my first Fairy Tail fanfic. I do not have a beta so please excuse all the grammar errors. I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail. However I own the plot.**

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There was something tangible in the air. Lucy Heartfilia grimaced at the bleak looking sky. Rain was threatening t to fall and Lucy had forgotten her umbrella at home. The weatherman called for a drizzle but the morning sky told another story. Any other night Lucy wouldn't have cared and just darted home but tonight seemed eerie. The air was different and held some kind of foreboding. Lucy didn't want to admit it but the prospect of walking home tonight scared her.

She took out her phone and scrolled though her contacts to see if anyone was available to pick her up. Her boyfriend was busy at work and didn't get off till late. There was no way she could wait till after midnight. Her best friend was on a date and Lucy didn't want to interrupt. Things were going well for Cana and it seemed that this guy might be the real deal. The only other person she could call was her roommate, Lisanna. With a heavy sigh Lucy pressed the call button and listened to the dull dialing tone. Part of her hoped that the call went unanswered but the majority prayed Lisanna picked up. After waiting a couple more seconds Lucy hung up. The young woman looked at the sky and sighed.

"This is going to be fun" She muttered to herself. Home was not far from work but with the looming threat of rain the distance doubled. Lucy checked the door to make sure it was locked and then headed out.

The neighborhood wasn't bad but it wasn't the greatest. Subconsciously Lucy shifted her eyes to take in surroundings. A nearby lamppost flickered before going dead. Lucy stared at it and tried not to think of it as a premonition for something unpleasant. She rummaged through her purse for any type of weapon.

"Dammit" She skipped out on buying the pepper spray in favor for nail polish. Considering she had never been in any type of confrontation, her naïve mind thought she was safe from all the dangers of the world.

Five minutes into her walk the temperature dropped which caused Lucy to shiver. She tried to convince the goosebumps were from the cold and not from the feeling of being watched. Anxiety began to take over her body as the sense of danger began to grow. The sudden sensation of being alone in the world swept over Lucy and fear took over. With shaky hands she reached for her cell phone. Cana would forgive her once she learned of the situation.

"No no no" The cell phone blared a messaged of 'no service'. Lucy took a shaky breath in order to calm down. No point in panicking to the point where rationality is lost. She clutched the phone to her chest as she scanned the area for any sign of refuge. No, being somewhere enclosed would make it harder to escape from a predator. Home was the only safe place. Hopefully Lisanna was there and would bring her back to reality because whatever she was feeling was not normal.

Taking another glance around Lucy bolted towards home. Her purse was slapping against her thigh and the cell phone was clutched tightly in her hand. 'Please, please let me get home. I swear I'll buy that pepper spray next paycheck.'

Lucy came up on a corner and turned left, only to screech to a halt. In front of her stood Ned's Enterprise, her establishment of employment. She looked behind her only to find herself where she had started.

"This can't be! How is this possible!" She yelled to no one in particular. Uncontrollable panic and fear overwhelmed her and she darted towards the direction of home again…just to find herself exactly where she began.

"HELP! FIRE!" Lucy screamed in a vain attempt to get help. Something told her that no one was coming to help. This was it. Somebody was after her and she was stupid enough to fall in their trap. It had to be an otherworldly being because nothing could explain the phenomenon that was happening. Maybe somebody drugged her and this was all a hallucination. Yeah this must be a hallucination.

An unusual and frightening growl brought Lucy back to the present. If she thought she was scared before, the new fear was tenfold. She recognized herself going through shock as she had as hard time controlling her body. Her spine went straight and rigid. Tears began to well up in her eyes and her bottom lip began trembling uncontrollably. Gulping down on saliva, Lucy slowly turned her head towards the source of her newfound fear and let out an ear piercing scream.

Behind her was a humanoid shape with rotting flesh. Its eyes were bloodshot with tiny black pupils. The figure had a hunchback with unproportioned appendages. For hands the creature had sharp revolting claws that promised infection and a painful death. The being wore no clothes which exposed pale grayish flesh that clung to an anorexic body. Sharp pointy teeth were bared at her as a mixture of saliva and blood dripped from them. The thing growled and lunged at her. The young woman could do nothing but watch as the being closed in on her.

Lucy screamed again and found control of her body at the last moment. She sprinted forward with speed she did not know she possessed. Her flight instinct went into overdrive and she did whatever was necessary to keep her legs moving forward at maximum speed. Behind her, she could hear the creature catching up. Of course something that horrifying would overpower her. Lucy tried to look around for any type of protection. Approaching the same corner that started this mess, another humanoid shape appeared. Lucy screamed again and tried to stop but instead tripped over herself and crashed onto the ground.

"No no no" Lucy cried and crawled to the right. She gained her footing and stood up and tried to run again but she felt something grab her jacket and hurl her backwards. She screamed again and collided with a parked car. The impact rattled her brains and she whimpered. Opening her eyes she was met with three humanoid figures. They had her trapped and Lucy began to cry and hyperventilate. There was no way out of her situation. Fear had her rooted to the ground and all she could do was watch as death approached her. She closed her eyes and awaited the inevitable.

A deafening roar ringed in her ears that brought some kind of hope. Lucy's eyes snapped open just in time to see a… dragon? No, a male engulfed in flamed attack the creatures. The figures screamed and began to attack the new intruder. The male let out another roar and breathed fire to incinerate one of the humanoids. Lucy watched in awe as he took on the humanoids by himself. Power emanated from him and he took out the second humanoid with a slash of his fire-encompassed hand. The last humanoid stood before him and it was bigger than the other two. The male stood up straight and smiled wickedly. The smile sent shivers of fear down her spine.

Fire began to gather in his hands and he lunged towards the humanoid,

"Go back to hell!" he ordered as he smashed the enemy with both fists. The impact sent out a bright light and Lucy closed her eyes. When she opened them the male was standing triumphantly. He didn't even bother to look at his surroundings. He then took a sniff of the air and his head snapped towards her direction.

Lucy took in a breath as the half crazed being glared at her. His black eyes bore into her being and she felt violated. He stood on the defensive with his fist clenched and she quickly realized that she needed to fear for her life. Normal human beings did not control fire. Lucy didn't even blink before the male was in front of her, inches away from her face. She noticed he had pink hair and absentmindedly thought that was a strange color for him. Lucy looked at him wide eyed in fear. He took another sniff.

"You smell weird." He stated as he grabbed her chin and took another sniff of her neck. Lucy was frozen in fear. There was fire wielding man smelling her. If that wasn't scary she did not know what was. He directed her face so he could stare into Lucy's eyes. His black eyes bore into her as if he was searching for something. Another sniff.

"You smell so weird…Why."

"Please…" Her voice was shaken and barely audible but the male twitched in response. He let go of her face and leaned in closer to smell her. Lucy pressed herself in the car to try to get away from his nose but it was in vain as he grabbed her arm and snapped her body towards him. She felt his nose up against her skin as he took in another sniff.

"Why?" he uttered before opening his mouth. He was about to sink his teeth into her shoulder when his eyes shot wide open and he vanished to the other side of the street. The absence of his body sent Lucy in shivers as the cold assaulted her body. She stared at him in fear and bewilderment.

"I, uh" Lucy began but was cut short when he disappeared from sight. She looked around to see where he went but there was no trace of him. The evidence of the humanoids was also gone. The feeling of being alone disappeared and Lucy felt she was returned to the world she knew. She looked back at the spot where the male stood. Her hand reached to the spot where his nose was. She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. The man had saved her life, whether he intended it or not, Lucy was grateful.

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Not far away the male stood on top of a building staring at the woman. A breeze came by and ruffled his pink hair as he scowled at her, "Tch…nonsense"

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 **What did you guys think? Let me know! Updates will come weekly!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, Updates will be every Monday. And remember this is a NaLu story. Thank you everybody who favorited, reviewed, and followed. Again I apologize for any grammar errors. I am not totally happy with syntax of this chapter but I want to keep my weekly updates on schedule. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail but I own the plot**

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Lucy slammed the door behind her and slid to the ground. She stared at her hands and tried to comprehend what just happened. There was no way that was real. Disfigured humanoids? A man who controls fire? Ha those were things you would see in a blockbuster. But she still felt the lingering trace of his nose on her skin. Fear still pulsed through her veins and the bruises that covered her body were real. How could she not explain it? The stress of the night hit her like a truck and she released all the pent up tears.

After a few minutes Lucy calmed down and then headed towards the shower. A hot shower always fixes everything. If she played her cards right this night could be a distant memory. Why is it easier to remember the bad instead do the good? Reaching the bathroom, Lucy turned the water to max heat. The hot water tank took a couple of minutes to work and Lucy did not have the patience to wait. Discarding her clothes Lucy turned to the mirror to inspect the damage.

Her blonde hair was dirty and she picked out a leaf or two. Her brown eyes were blood shot and swollen. There were some minor cuts and bruises on her wrists, she didn't pay any mind to them. Her right knee had an abrasion and she winced when she palpated it.

'I hope that doesn't leave a scar' she thought. Her physique was something she was proud of and agonized over every blemish that appeared. She stared back into the mirror and sighed. Her eyes zoomed in the spot where the man's nose was. Her hand reached up and touched it. His glare flashed through her mind and she slightly flinched. Why was she thinking about someone so dangerous? There was absolutely zero chance that she would encounter him again. A part of her wished she had taken a better look at him. The only thing she remember were his eyes and his pink hair.

Steam began to fog up the mirror and it brought Lucy out of her reverie. Turning the temperature down a couple of notches Lucy jumped into the shower. In an instant all her worries vanished and all thoughts of the black eyed man were forgotten. Hot showers tend to fix everything.

Lucy pulled on her pajamas and felt content. The shower was amazing and had soothed all her frayed nerves. She walked over to her bed and checked her cell phone. There were a couple of new texts and it didn't take any guesses to figure out who they were from.

'Babe did you get home?

Is everything okay?

Why aren't you texting back?'

Her boyfriend, Loke, had texted. It was a ritual for them. Anytime one got home before the other they would send out a text. Lucy looked at the time and gasped. She was supposed to get home a couple of hours ago, Loke must be worried sick. She started to text him back when his picture flashed on the screen.

"Loke! I was just texting you back!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Are you okay?! I've been trying to reach you like crazy but it kept going to voicemail!" There was panic in voice and Lucy felt guilty for forgetting about him.

"I'm…I'm okay" Was she okay? The events of the night rushed through her mind and she felt scared again. She didn't want to be alone, couldn't be alone, "Loke…"

"I'm off in ten minutes, I'll be there soon." Loke's worried voice comforted her a little bit. She hated to worry him but some things were beyond her control. She nodded into the phone and hung up. It was twelve minutes before midnight. His job was about twenty minutes from her place. A half hour alone wasn't bad but she wanted him now.

To settle her nerves, Lucy went into the kitchen and reached for vodka sitting on top of the fridge. She drank rarely and did not believe in drinking your problems away but tonight was an exception. She took out shot glass and quickly poured herself a shot. The alcohol burned her throat and warmed her stomach. Lucy didn't even think and poured herself another. The agitation she felt earlier was gone and she slid down to sit against the refrigerator. Lucy set the shot glass on the counter and stared at the vodka in her hands. Russian letters stared back at her and she wondered what they meant.

This was not supposed to happen. This night did not go as planned. What was she supposed to tell Loke? He wouldn't even believe her. Maybe in the morning everything could be passed up as a bad dream.

Frantic knocking pulled Lucy out of her thoughts. Panic filled her and she clutched the vodka bottle to her chest. Her eyes darted to phone but it was in her room.

"Lucy! It's me! Open up!"

"Loke?" Lucy set the bottle down and ran to the door. Her shaky fingers tried to unlock the door but tears blurred her eyes and she couldn't see. Once she got the deadbolt off, Loke pushed the door open.

"Loke!"

Lucy crashed into him and for the second time that night, cried uncontrollably. She clung to Loke for dear life and buried her face in his chest. Loke shut the door with his foot and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. He stroked her hair in order to calm her down.

"Shhh you're okay baby. I won't let anything hurt you. Just let it out" he whispered to her. Worry etched onto his face. The past two years of dating her, he had never seen Lucy this distraught. Countless scenarios entered his mind and he was going to kill whoever had hurt his significant other.

Lucy calmed down after a few minutes. She hiccupped a sob back and took a deep breath. Loke took that as a sign and pulled back. Lucy stared at his face. The familiarity of his hazel eyes brought peace to her and she gave him a small smile. He leaned in and kissed her. His lips calmed her even more and she leaned into it. He broke away and kissed her forehead.

"Lucy" Loke bent down and hooked his arm under her knees and picked her up. The sudden movement forced Lucy to grab a hold of his neck. He then carried her back to her room and closed the door. He set her down on the bed and scratched the back of his head, "What happened Luce?"

Lucy stared at him. Meeting Loke had to have been the happiest day of her life. Before him she dated here and there but nobody worth investing time in. When Loke had entered the picture she knew she had something worth keeping.

"You won't believe me" she answered at last.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I don't believe it myself." Yeah there was no way a rational human being would believe such an outrageous story. Paranormal events were a thing of fiction, not reality.

"What happened baby." His voice was soft and Lucy couldn't help but sigh.

"I was walking home and when I turned the corner at that one street I found myself in front of my job. No matter how many times I tried to turn that corner I just ended up in front of Ned's. I tried calling Cana but I had no reception. And then these…these things attacked me. I thought I was going to die but then…" Lucy paused, she didn't know why but she was reluctant to tell him about the male who saved her, "but then this man who controlled fire saved me."

Lucy sighed and looked at Loke for his reaction. He indeed had disbelief written on his face, "I know it sounds crazy but it's true!"

"I'm not saying it's not true. But you might be confusing the events due to stress." Loke replied. Lucy looked at him and tears began to form in her eyes again, "Hey hey, don't cry! If you say it happened then it happened. I'm just happy you're safe."

"Mh-hmm" Lucy nodded her head and wiped away the tears. She then pulled the covers back and got into bed. She heard Loke change into the clothes he kept at her place. When he slid into bed Lucy turned around and snuggled into his chest.

"Get some sleep baby. You'll feel better in the morning." He kissed her on the forehead, "Love you."

"Mh-hmm"

The next morning brought Lucy back to reality. She woke up with a groan and briefly wondered why her back hurt. She sat up and looked over to her sleeping partner. Loke was sprawled over her full sized bed. His auburn hair was tangled in a mess and covered his eyes. She took a peak down and examined his well-toned physique.

Lucy did admit that his body was amazing but it also brought unwanted jealousy. A tiny part of her wished Loke wasn't so into himself. Lucy didn't want to admit she was jealous but the constant attention he was always getting from girls was irritating. Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Lucy got out of bed and got ready for the day. She had a poly-science test later in the morning.

"Mm Loke get up" she gently nudged Loke, still half asleep herself "I have to go to school. If Lisanna sees you're here she'll flip."

"Don't care" he mumbled

"I care! Now get up!"

Loke grumbled something incomprehensible into his pillow.

"Loke!"

He casually lifted his head from the pillow and stared at her, "I'm sleepy"

"So am I"

With one last groan Loke got up. Lucy smiled and went about her business. All thoughts of last night vanished, just like she suspected.

"By the way where is her highness anyway?" Loke came into the kitchen buttoning up his shirt.

"She went back home for the weekend." Lucy replied without looking up. Her attention was on the lunch she was making.

"I can't wait till your lease is up."

"Oh come on, she isn't that bad."

Loke just grimaced, "What's your schedule today? Do you work?"

"I just have school today. And then I think Cana wants to hang out. She went on some super date last night. I want to hear about it! Speaking of Cana…" Lucy pulled out her phone and sent out a text, "You?"

"I have class in the afternoon and then work."

Now it was Lucy's turn to grimace, "Are you sure you can't just quit that job?"

"Aww is my honeysuckle jealous?" Loke leaned over the counter for a kiss.

"Yes, and don't call me that. It's just weird"

"You know you're the only one for me babe"

Loke had started to work at a bar as a Host. They had gotten into a huge fight that almost broke them up. In the end they compromised but it still drove Lucy crazy. Apparently it was good money and he needed it to pay for college.

"I wish you would find a new job" Lucy muttered but let the subject drop. Pick your own battles, right? "Do you have all your things? I need to get to my study group. Poly-sci test later."

"Yeah I have everything." He then walked over to her and took her into his arms. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Lucy felt some of the irritation leave her. "Be safe today. Text me when you get to school."

"Alright"

Loke then left the apartment. Lucy stared at the door for a while. There had been in tension in their relationship ever since he started that Host job. Last night was different and it was nice. She just wished it was a different circumstance that brought them together. Maybe she would talk to him about it again. Though it didn't seem hopeful that Loke would change jobs. Oh well.

* * *

Lucy groaned as she stepped out of the poly-sci lecture hall. The test was brutal and she would be lucky if she passed it with a C. Her phone had gone off during the test and she quickly pulled it out. It was a text from Cana.

'My place after the test'

Lucy quickly texted back, 'that test was brutal! DX I need a beer'

'Bitch you know it'

Cana was always enthusiastic about alcohol. You needed a drink, you could bet that Cana would join you.

'Be there in twenty'

':P'

Last night was just a bad nightmare, so why the hell did she feel she was being watched again. Lucy stood up straight and looked at her surroundings. It was three in the afternoon, there's no way anybody would try to do anything. Right? Lucy gritted her teeth as the sense of danger approached.

Out of nowhere a white van screeched to a halt in front of her. This was the last think Lucy expected. Too stunned to react. Lucy watched as two people clad in all black jumped out and attacked her.

"Get away from me!" Lucy screamed. She threw a couple of punches which the attackers avoided effortlessly. They grabbed her on either side and started to pull her towards the van. Lucy dropped her purse and began to fight. Trying to wriggle out of their grasp, she kneed one of the men in the stomach. Her attack didn't seem to faze him and they kept dragging her to the van.

"No! STOP!" Lucy fought hopelessly. The two men were overpowering her easier. "Loke! LOKE!" She knew Loke wouldn't be able to help her but yelling for him was the only thing she could think of. One of the men produced a cloth and covered her mouth with it. Whatever the rag held, it was sweet smelling. Lucy's mind turned as she tried to figure out the situation. She briefly wondered what was going to happen to her but she couldn't dwell on it as she slipped out of consciousness.

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 **What do you guys think? Is it easy to read/follow? Am I losing/confusing you guys? Let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry guys! I know I said Monday, but Monday was Memorial Day. And yesterday I went deep sea fishing. So I am posting it today. Updates will resume to be on Monday. I don't know how I feel about this chapter so I will let you guys be judges. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Just the plot.**

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Lucy sat on a metal chair. Her hands and ankles were bound by rope. The blond was slumped over and was out of it. The room was a small, circular concrete dome. Up in front was panel of seats.

"Is she awake yet?" a stern voice asked from behind the shadows.

"No ma'am. We might have given her too much chloroform." Someone replied.

"It'd be a shame if she died before our questions are answered."

* * *

Lucy heard voices in the distance. She tried to focus on them but a pain in her head was in the way. She groaned softly and tried to come to reality. The first thing she noticed was that it was cold. She slowly opened her eyes. Her back hurt and her neck was stiff. She tried to stretch her arms but found them bound behind her. Mild panic hit her as she tried to figure where she was in her haze.

"Huh?" She sat up and winced. The metal chair hurt and all she wanted to do was stretch. Lucy looked around the room and found it was void of anything. There was a door to the right and that's where they must have brought her in. She tugged at her binding in an attempt to escape but they were too tight. Where was she? Why was she here? She had a headache and it was hard to focus.

"Lucy Heartfilia" a voice boomed through the room and Lucy winced.

"Whose there?" Lucy's voice shook as she asked.

"We'll be the one asking the questions"

Lucy looked up to see a group of three people looking down on her. The person who stood out was a woman. She had long scarlet hair that was tied in a ponytail. Her brown eyes pierced through Lucy, causing her to shift in her seat uncomfortably.

"What do you want with me?" Lucy asked. The woman ignored her and crossed he arms.

"Which faction are you with." the woman asked.

"Huh?"

"Faction. Who are you with." Irritation entered the woman's voice.

"I..uhh"

"You are clearly not with us. That means you are an enemy. I will repeat myself. Which faction are you with."

"I don't know what you are talking about!" Lucy replied.

"The night of September 19, 2015 you were attacked by three vampires, were you not?" another voice joined in. This one was a man and he was short in stature with a big, rectangular face.

"How do yo—"

"You entered a parallel world where you single-handedly defeated three vampires." The man continued not even fazed with his interruption.

"I didn't d—"

"Which faction are you with." The man asked the same question. Lucy desperately looked at them. Her eyes were wide and there were hints of tears in them. She had no idea what they were talking about.

"I'm with nobody!" Lucy said desperately. The fog in her brain wouldn't lift and their loud voices sent sharp pain through her head.

"Oh? So you're saying you, a regular human being, fended off not one, not two, but three vampires?" The scarlet woman replied.

"I didn't defeat anyone! I was attacked and somebody saved me!"

"Nobody saves humans. This proves you are with a faction. Who saved you!" The scarlet woman scowled at the blond.

"He sav—"

"Even if you are a human you still face the death penalty." The man added. Wait, what? The death penalty? Why? Lucy's mouth hanged wide open, as if such a gesture would help her understand the situation. Death? What? She didn't do anything! Those grotesque creatures were vampires? How would she know! Why did they even kidnap her? Lucy looked down and stared at her lap. Tears began to escape and they made their way down her face. Her blond hair obstructed her vision. She didn't want to believe her life was being held in the balance of her bad fortune.

"Lucy Heartfilia. You said somebody saved you. Who saved you." The scarlet woman demanded. Lucy looked up and stared at her captives.

"It was a man."

"That does not tell us anything"

"Why am I here?!" Lucy tried to steer the conversation another way.

"You are our prisoner. Who saved you" the woman slammed her fist on the railing, "My patience is running thin!"

"What did I do?! I did nothing!" Lucy yelled

"Do not raise your voice!" the man yelled back.

"This is—"

"If you fail to present us with any info we will drop you down below and find the answers ourselves."

Lucy looked down to the floor and found a trap door under her chair, "What's down there?"

"The same creatures you defeated on September 19, 2015" the man replied smugly.

"Vampires? I didn't defeat them!"

"Who saved you!"

"I told you it was man!"

"Again that does not tell us anything. You are no use to us anymore. Goodbye. Ichiya if you would" The woman turned her back and began to walk out. Lucy saw the man reach for a lever.

"He had pink hair! And he controlled fire!" Lucy screamed in desperation. There was an audible silence and she looked up. They had frozen and were staring at her crazy. "That's all I remember! Please don't kill me!"

"Pink hair?" Ichiya asked skeptically

"Yes!"

"Controlled fire?" the woman paled but she quickly gained composer.

"Yes! I don't want to die!"

There was another silence in the air. Lucy looked at them desperately.

"Idiot, as if we would believe such a blatant lie." The third person who kept quiet the whole time appeared.

"No..."

"The Salamander helps no one. He leaves a trail of death where ever he goes."

"He helped me. He saved me! Please believe me…" Lucy couldn't believe how heartless these people were. She was going to die. She did nothing wrong. That man really did save her. That man… they said his name was Salamander, he saved her, he really did.

"Goodbye Lucy Heartfilia" The captain declared.

"No! Wait! Please!" Lucy watched helplessly as the man, Ichiya, pulled down the lever. The floor underneath her opened up and she plummeted down. "STOP! PLEASE!"

Lucy landed sideways. She let out a yelp. The metal chair pinned her arm and she tried to shift her position. The room was dimly lit and her eyes couldn't make out much. She looked up to see where she came from but saw nothing. A growl brought her attention back to the room. Ichiya said there were vampires down here.

"No no no" Lucy began to fight against her restraints. "No no no"

Lucy stared as a vampire came into view. Following behind it were a couple more. Nasty saliva dripped down from their mouths making Lucy shudder in fear. Her breath quickened but no matter how hard she tried to come loose, the ropes held her bound to the chair. This was going to be a repeat of last time except this time the male wasn't going to appear.

The vampires lunged at her and Lucy closed her eyes.

* * *

It was hot. It was a nice change of temperature. Where were the vampires? The last thing she saw were the creatures lunging at her. Maybe she was already dead.

Lucy snapped her eyes open at the revelation and the sight before her left her breathless. There was a dragon in the room. More precisely it was her savior from before.

"You…" she whispered. This had to be some sort of spell. Yes, she was certainly dead.

All around her was fire. It was burning everything in its path, consuming anything it came in contact with. She looked up and saw a vortex of fire. Above the roar of the flames faint screaming could be heard. It must be the residents.

The growling brought her attention up front. Instead of three vampires there were countless. Lucy couldn't even begin counting them even if she wanted to. The man took a step forward and bared his teeth. The creatures snarled back and lunged towards him. His fists burst into flames and he began to take them out one by one. The man took another step and he melted the floor with the intense heat. The majority fell down. He grinned wickedly and it sent shivers down Lucy's spine.

"Die you fuckers!" the man took a deep breath and roared fire down the hole. Piercing screams filled the air as the vampires were disintegrated. Lucy was watching him so intensely that she didn't hear the rustling behind her. She felt something growl by her ear.

Fearfully she turned her head and was face to face with the grotesque creature. Lucy screamed. The vampire raised its bacteria ridden claws and aimed it for her. In an instant the man had the creature by the throat. He lit his arm on fire, lit the vampire, and threw it into the pit of flames. Lucy looked at him tearfully. He simply cast his gaze on her. There was no emotion on his face. Lucy wanted to reach out and touch his cheek.

"Let's go." He said. He grabbed the back of the metal chair and jumped up. Lucy got quick glimpses of the chaos he caused. Every level they passed was ablaze.

 _"The Salamander helps no one. He leaves a trail of death where ever he goes."_

That statement popped into her head. No wonder they didn't believe her but did that mean he was going to kill her. Wouldn't it be easier to just toss her into the flames? But then why save her at all? She was going to die anyway.

They broke surface in no time. Apparently Lucy was being held captive underground. The man set the chair down and ran back to the opening. He jumped up in the air again and conjured a huge fireball in his hands. He then let it spiral down to the facility causing a huge explosion.

Lucy watched him stand proudly and stare at his destruction. She couldn't help but admire him. He wore a very tattered black cloak with a white scaly scarf. His pink hair was long and unruly and stood every which way. Lucy wanted to comb her fingers through it. He must have felt her gaze because his attention snapped towards her. Those eyes. His black eyes pierced through her very core. She felt naked in front him.

The man walked up to her and undid her bindings. Immediately Lucy threw herself onto the ground and groaned. Her muscles ached and her back was stiff. Being horizontal alleviated the pressure in her lower back and she wanted nothing more but to fall asleep.

"You're funny, woman." The man chuckled. Lucy peaked at him through her eyelids. He stood tall and she felt the power emanating from him.

"Lucy"

"Huh?"

"My name is Lucy"

He looked at her.

"Lucy" he seemed to test the name on his tongue, "Natsu"

"Thank you Natsu" Lucy smiled at him, "Do you know where we are?"

"No" he then plopped down and looked like was going to sleep. "I'm taking a nap. Don't go anywhere."

Before Lucy could saying anything he was already asleep.

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 **Tell me what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Short chapter today. Sorry! Hope you guys enjoy it. If you see any mistakes or plot holes, let me know. Thank you to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed the story. I appreciate it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Just the plot.**

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Natsu had fallen asleep in the middle of nowhere. Lucy wouldn't have minded but she had no idea where she was. Who just falls asleep? Especially after a battle like that? This guy might have issues. Issues that Lucy did not want to get involved with. Her first tip off point was the whole fire thing. Normal human beings did not control fire let alone breathe it.

They were located on a bare piece of land with trees surrounding them in a circle. It was man made and it seemed the only access to it was by helicopter. Or by foot. Whichever one preferred. In the middle of it was the huge crater Natsu created. The building had been reduced to ash and the trees nearest were on fire. The flames were dying though. Weird.

It was early evening. The sky was beginning to darken in the east and a chill was starting to set in. There were shadows on the ground and it began to feel eerie. Lucy stared at Natsu. The man was out cold. His chest rose in a steady rhythm causing his head to loll to the side. His hair fell in front of his face and Lucy wished she could move it aside. Her eyes shifted to her surroundings. What was the next course of action? Obviously she couldn't stay here. Her friends must be worried sick. She should've been at Cana's hours ago. Cana was probably pacing her living room, yelling into her phone while holding a bottle of booze. Danger was not an issue right now. Anyone brave enough to face Natsu would probably end up ash.

Lucy's eyes shifted to the man. Natsu told her to stay. He saved her but that didn't mean she had any obligation to him. Lucy moved towards the forest. The dying light made it hard to see how deep it was. She stopped at the edge and hesitated to move forward. Something told Lucy she wouldn't get far before Natsu caught up to her. Something about him told her he would not take it kindly if she ignored his order. If he wanted to kill her, he would've done it already. So she was safe…maybe. Take a leap of faith, right? On the bright side she was safe from any enemies. If there was a bright side to this situation. Home sounded so good right now.

Lucy looked back at Natsu. He hadn't shown any sign of waking. She would be safe with him. Somehow she just knew that. Sighing in defeat, Lucy decided to stay with the man, instinct told her to do it. The blonde walked over to him and knelt down.

Up close he was handsome, probably the most handsome man Lucy laid eyes on. His features were sharp, with high cheekbones and a straight nose. Absentmindedly Lucy brushed the hair out of his face to get a better look. Her hand lingered a second longer than it should have. His hair was everywhere; and it was long, reaching to his shoulders. It made him look like a shaggy dog. His lips were full and parted slightly. Lucy let her gaze linger on his face before checking out the rest of his body. He was sculpted better than a Greek God. Maybe he was one. What did this guy do for a living? Oh yeah, he breathed fire. Somehow Lucy knew he never visited a gym in his life.

"Lucky son of a bitch"

Yeah Lucy was jealous. The gym was her best friend. At the age of 24, her metabolism slowed down and food began to cling to her like super glue.

For some reason Lucy felt some kind of attachment towards Natsu. She never met the man but some sort of familiarity surrounded him. Lucy let out another sign and put some distance between them. It had to be stress. There was no other explanation. Lucy propped herself on a nearby tree. The long day began to hit her and Lucy did not fight the sleep, instead she welcomed it.

* * *

When Lucy woke up, it was night. How long was she out? There was a black cloak wrapped around her. It had to be Natsu's. Looking up she found him sitting next to a fire, deep in thought. The fire illuminated him and Lucy felt her heart start to race. The moment it did he looked at her. He was half naked with his scarf around his neck. His jaw was clenched and his eyes steeled into her.

"You're awake."

"Um…"

"I expected you to run off" He looked back at the fire, not giving her a chance to respond. Lucy stood up and stretched her legs. The air was chilly so she pulled the cloak closer to her, silently hoping Natsu didn't want it back. His scent met her nose and she was greeted with an earthy aroma. If he wasn't around she probably would've stuck her nose in the cloak.

"I was thinking about it."

"I would have found you"

"I know, that's why I stayed."

Her statement brought his gaze back to her. He squinted his eyes and pursed his lips into a thin line. After a couple of seconds he went back to looking at the fire.

"What are you doing anyway?" Lucy asked while walking up to the fire.

"Making dinner" He shifted at her approach. He sat up straighter and clenched his fists. Lucy hesitated, not wanting to agitate him.

"That's not what I meant."

Natsu ignored her. Lucy decided not to push it forward. He already seemed restless. No need to have him have a change of heart.

"What's for dinner?"

Natsu picked up one of the logs on fire and gestured to it.

"No really, what's for dinner?"

He gestured towards the log again. Lucy looked at the fire and then back at him. She did it two more times before realization dawned on her.

"You can't eat fire!" she exclaimed in horror, "What idiot thinks they can eat fire!"

Natsu smirked at her before bringing the log to his mouth. He locked onto her eyes as he inhaled the flames down his throat. For added effect he made a chewing gesture before pretending to gulp it down. He threw the log back into fire before getting up. Without letting Lucy's eyes go he stalked towards her. He had a menacing smile and his tongue darted out to lick his lips. It was like watching a panther pursuing its prey.

Lucy broke his gaze and glanced at his mouth. She noticed two sharp fangs protruding from his teeth. Where those real? If they weren't, that was some expensive dental work. Somehow she doubted that was the case. They were coming closer and Lucy took a step back. He grabbed her arm and his smile widened. She couldn't break her gaze from his teeth. Natsu grabbed her chin and pulled her eyes up. He leaned in and Lucy took in his scent.

It was some kind of aphrodisiac to her because Lucy's body heated up. She sucked in multiple breathes of air while trying to steady her heart. She felt energy leaving as her knees began to buckle underneath her. She wanted to grab onto him but his cloak was in the way. Heat radiated from him and Lucy wanted him as her own personal heater. Would he agree to that idea? Probably not. His breath tickled her ear and the whisper of his lips made her mind numb,

"This idiot" he whispered before letting go and walking back to the fire.

"Huh?" The sudden absence of his body made Lucy shiver and she stared dazed at his retreating form. Her face turned red and she stumbled for words. Irritation boiled over and Lucy gritted her teeth. How dare he tease her like that! Without saying a word Lucy marched off into the forest. Damn him. There was no reason for him act like that. But then again, she had no reason either.

…Damn him

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 **Yeah, told you it was short. Next one will be longer. Also you will find out more about the world. Stay tuned!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yeah, so, I wrote this in the last two hours. Procrastination at its finest. Please excuse all the grammar and spelling errors. I will most likely write Chapter 6 tomorrow because the ideas are flowing out of my head. That way you guys have a nice long read next Monday. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: Do not own Fairy Tail. Own Plot.**

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Lucy blindly charged forward. Her irritation blinded her from the path in front of her and she just focused on putting one foot forward after another. How dare he tease her like that! It was the last thing she expected after the standoffish attitude he displayed.

It must have been midnight. The moon was high in the sky and it casted shadows everywhere. The night was clear and if you got out of the forest you can see millions of stars.

"Who does that!? Who does he think he is!?" Lucy mumbled to herself. There was no reason for his behavior. Lucy didn't want to admit to herself but she was probably madder at herself than anything. She _did_ insult him. And that was a pretty mellow reaction he gave her for the insult. Judging by his destructive power he could easily dealt some damage to her. Instead he opted out to see her blush. Okay fair game.

Calming down Lucy's eyes began to focus on her surroundings. Her eyes shifted around her and she took in her situation. There were trees and bushes everywhere. Irritation ebbed away and panic took over. How could she be so stupid? This was an unfamiliar territory and now she was lost. It could be days before she could find her way out. Who was the idiot now? Her that's who. Squinting, Lucy attempted to see the glow of the fire.

The night air was cold and Lucy pulled the cloak tighter. Thank God she had it, otherwise she would be reduced to a shivering mess. It was Thursday…unless she was knocked out for a couple of days then it was not Thursday. She had a project due for History today and work later. The project was a big part of her grade and if she didn't turn it in, she could kiss her 4.0 GPA goodbye. It was almost complete but she planned to finish it after her poly-sci test. Lucy's panic increased. Not only was she lost in who knows where but her History grade was in danger. If you asked her, she was more worried about her grade.

Lucy started jogging the way she came. If she got out from the forest she could use the sky to lead her to some sort of civilization. After some time Lucy slowed down to a walk. This was getting her nowhere. The forest was dense, the camp fire could be anywhere. Would Natsu save her this time? Her project aside, was she going to get out of this forest alive?

"Here you are" a deep voice said from behind her. Lucy's heart spiked and she whirled around, only to see the pink-haired man.

"Natsu!"

"Yeesh woman, don't yell so loud." Natsu rubbed his ears. Lucy nervously laughed and took a step back.

"I'm sorry." Lucy uttered out of the blue.

"Hmnm?"

"I shouldn't have insulted you back there…or got mad when you teased me... Or stormed off. I'm sorry." She looked down at her shoes, not brave enough to look at him.

"Oh that? I already forgot. I just want my cloak back." He rubbed the back of his head and extended his hand.

"Huh" Lucy's eyes widened. In that moment she felt utterly stupid. Of course he would want his cloak back. They were complete strangers and he had no obligation to her. Without a word she unwrapped the cloak and handed it to him. He gruffly grabbed it and fastened it back to his neck.

"Well see ya" he waved his hand and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Lucy yelled out. It was cold out and without the cloak Lucy began to shiver. The simple outfit she wore did not give her any protection against the chilly air. If he left her now she would lose all hope to get back home.

"What is it?" he said indifferently. Lucy thought he must have some kind of mood swing disorder. He was serious one moment, teasing another, and then uncaring. What was this guy's deal.

"You're not gonna leave me here are you?"

"Uhh, yes?"

"You idiot! You can't just leave me here! I have no idea where I am"

"There you go again, calling me names." Natsu smirked and he leaned on a nearby tree. She could faintly see the outlines of his fangs.

"I'm sorry but what kind of man leaves a girl out here!"

"Well that's just it. I'm not a man." His smirk widened into a grin, "And my nature lets me leave girls out in the middle of nowhere. You seemed to know where you were going earlier so there's no need for me to help you."

"Of course you're a man. Look at you." Lucy exclaimed, gesturing to his body, "You have a human body."

"My dear, that's where you are mistaken." He then disappeared in front of her eyes. The wind around her picked up and she felt his presence behind her. She turned around but then there was another gust of wind and he was to the left of her.

"Can a human move this fast?" he moved all around her. Left. Right. Front. Back. Her eyes could not keep up with him, only the gust of wind let her know he was shifting around her.

"Can a human wield fire the way I do?" he stopped right in front of her. His eyes bearing into hers. Her breathe got stuck in her throat. The heat emanating from his body made her subconsciously step forward.

"No" Lucy whispered. Unable to move, Lucy just took advantage of the heat. Again she felt herself get hot and weak-kneed. She stole a glance at his mouth and bit her lip.

"What are you then?" Lucy asked without thinking.

"I'm a demon."

"You are not." The words were out before Lucy could stop herself.

"You sure have a hard time with the truth." He took a step back and sighed.

"Fine then tell me why you keep saving me."

"You won't believe me so I'll save my breath." He crossed his arm and titled his head.

"I promise I'll keep my mouth shut."

"No I'm good."

"Natsu!"

"Yes?"

Lucy stared at him. He claimed to be a demon and all evidence pointed to that. "So what, you're like a fire demon?"

This made him laugh

"No not a fire demon. Ima dragon demon." He smirked.

"What's the difference?"

Natsu chuckled, "Hopefully you never find out."

"Okay…" Lucy shivered from the cold. She silently wished he would come closer. His body must be so warm. If she could press against him she would do it in an instance.

"Hey with thoughts like those you might get your wish." He grinned and his eyes darkened.

"I I I'm no..not thinking of anything." Lucy stuttered, her heart rate increased and her cheeks heated up.

"That's not what your eyes say"

Lucy met his eyes and gulped. The situation was turning dangerous. Being alone with this man tested Lucy's control. She was pretty sure if he stepped forward and reached out to her, she would lose it and jump him. She had a boyfriend after all. …Her boyfriend...

"Loke!" her hands flew to her mouth and she stared wide-eyed at Natsu. Without thinking she sprinted away from him. Loke! Panic and dread filled her again. Her heart tightened and tears began to run down her face. Loke. How could she betray him like that? She was the one who usually suspected him of cheating but look at her now. How would he react once he learned that Lucy had another man's company? He would flip and that might be the end of their relationship. Lucy began to hyperventilate and she fell to her knees.

"No no no" she cried through tears. She loved Loke. He was practically the only family she had. Her dad was MIA in her life and her mom died when she was young.

She felt Natsu's presence behind her. It surprised her. She didn't expect him to follow her after she ditched him again. No she needed to get far away from him.

"You need to stop running off" Natsu grumbled, "Why are you crying anyway? I didn't mean anything bad."

"I have a boyfriend."

Natsu snarled and the air crackled with tension. Lucy whipped her head around. Natsu stood there with his fangs bared at her. His eyes glinted dangerously and there was a slight orange glow to his body. Lucy scrambled away from him out of fear.

"You. Are. Mine." He advanced towards her and Lucy did not recognize him. It was as if some kind of beast took over him.

"Natsu?" her voice shook. With every step Natsu took, Lucy moved backwards. He let out a low growl and it sent Lucy to her feet. She tried running away but no sooner than she did, Natsu slammed her into a tree. The impact knocked the wind out of her and she began to gasp for air. She clawed at her throat while staring into a pair of black eyes. Natsu grabbed her wrists and immobilized her against the tree.

"Mine." He growled possessively. Lucy tried to kick him but he wedged his knee between her thighs. He nuzzled her throat and she felt his fangs scrape against her skin. Tears streamed down Lucy's face as she tried to get air into her lungs.

The moment oxygen passed through her lips, Lucy screamed. She screamed out of fear.

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 **I'm trying not to write Natsu so bi-polar but the reason for that you will learn later in the story. Give me your honest opinion. See you next week!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I dont mean to make these chapters short but that's how they end up. Hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Nope do not own Fairy Tail. Just the plot. My plot.**

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Natsu's eyes widened and he tore away from Lucy. She didn't stop screaming. She didn't even realize that he left her and she fell with a thud. Her eyes snapped to him and she had a hard time focusing through all the tears. From what she could tell he turned back to normal.

"Lucy!" there was concern in his voice but Lucy barely heard him. Her mind was reeling from what just happened. He attacked her! Or that's what it looked like. Her being couldn't understand why. The man was crazy but this was on a whole different level. They barely knew each other and he had already reached stalker status. Who in their right mind takes claim of somebody?

"Don't come near me!" she shouted when he took a step forward, "Go away!"

"Lucy…"

"Go away!" Lucy's body shook with convulsions and she had a hard time speaking. She stared at him with fear. There was remorse in his eyes and his face was drawn tight. The air was tense but then he sat down a couple of feet from her and didn't break his gaze. Lucy flinched at the intensity of it. Was this his way of apologizing? She looked down to her knees and shuddered.

She was slowly calming down and with the absence of adrenaline, began to shiver from the cold. She fought the urge to look at him but she did imagine his body heat. Her thin t-shirt did nothing but invite the cold in.

There was a change in pressure and Lucy felt warmth. Her head snapped up and found Natsu glowing slightly orange. Somehow he heated up the air around them. Lucy looked away.

"Go away" she mumbled under her breath before hiccupping. The heat was nice but it would be nicer to be closer to him. She peaked at him through the corner of her eye and his gaze was still on her.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He said with a low tone, "You took me by surprise, that's all."

This snapped Lucy back into action,

"I took YOU by surprise?! What the fuck!" Lucy bellowed, venom laced in her voice and her hands balled into fists, "For fucks sake you attacked me! If anyone is surprised it should be me!"

Natsu tried to maintain a straight face but he could feel the tug of amusement on his lips. He pursed his lips in an attempt to subdue the urge to smirk.

"What the hell is so funny?" Lucy got up and advanced towards him. This time Natsu couldn't control it and he smirked.

"I never thought you would be a vulgar woman."

"I can be whatever the hell I want."

Lucy stood over him, eyes glaring accusingly at him. He was a lot warmer up close and she felt herself relax a little bit. He smirked again and stopped glowing. Instantaneously Lucy leaned towards him.

"Turn the heat back on." Lucy demanded.

"Now is that anyway to ask for something." Natsu propped one knee up and leaned against it, "If you want it you need to come closer."

"No, you'll kill me."

"You're already pretty close to me."

"I'm on my feet, I can run away."

"And how did that work for you last time?"

A predatory gleam flashed in his eyes and Lucy gulped. Maybe antagonizing the dragon was not a good idea.

"Don't worry, I won't lose my self-control again." He then smiled and Lucy relaxed. She didn't realize that she had tensed up.

"How can I trust you?"

"You're mine. I take care of what's mine."

"See, right there. That's not something I can trust." Lucy straightened up. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"It's the truth."

"No that's bullshit."

"You really are a vulgar woman."

Natsu stood up and grabbed Lucy by the waist. Lucy immediately brought her hands to his chest in an attempt to get away from him. His skin was hot and it made Lucy want to wrap her arms around him and try to absorb as much of it as possible. Of course there was also the prospect of feeling him up. There was no way she could lie to herself about the physique of the man in front of her. How would his body feel against hers? Her face heated up at her lewd thoughts.

'I have Loke' Lucy thought to herself. But at the moment she had a hard time picturing him. All she could think about was the pink haired man. And boy did she want to do more than just think about him.

"Natsu…" her voice was hoarse, laced with desire.

"I like the sound of my name on your lips." Natsu pulled Lucy closer and Lucy didn't try to fight back. The heat from his body had her frozen in place. He tangled his fingers into her hair and nuzzled his face on her neck. This time when he scraped his fangs against her skin, she felt jolts of desire run through her spine. He must have felt it because she could feel him smirking.

"Natsu…"

"Shh" His arm tightened around her and she felt herself giving in slightly. She wound herself to him, snaking her arms around his torso, letting her hands travel the length of his back. She felt his hard-on on her stomach and her hands tightened on his skin.

"Natsu"

The man pulled away from her neck and his gaze pierced through her. His eyes were clouded over with lust but there was also something else. Lucy couldn't put her finger on it but she felt everything would be okay, as long as he was by her side.

His lips came crashing onto hers and instinct took over. Lucy pressed herself flush against him. Her hands clawed at his back. Her hips grinding against his. Natsu's grip on her hair tightened and he slipped his hand underneath her shirt. They fought for control over the situation but after a few moments Natsu triumphantly slipped his tongue into her mouth.

He bit her lip eliciting a moan from Lucy. He kept kissing her while trailing down to her neck. Lucy tilted her head back, enjoying the feeling of his tongue on her neck. She didn't want him to stop. Never in her life did a man make her feel like this. She thought she could explode from his lips alone. What would it be like if they subtracted their clothes?

…No, this wasn't right. She wasn't single. She couldn't do this.

"Natsu…"

"Lucy"

Lucy wanted to cry. Conflicted feelings tore away in her mind. She was horrible.

"Stop" it came out barely a whisper but Natsu's whole body stiffened. Lucy backed away from him. A string of saliva connected him to her and it pained her when it snapped. His arms fell to his side and a dark expression covered his face. Her back hit a tree but she couldn't stop staring at him. Her body screamed to get back to him. Her mind thought differently. She looked away and couldn't stop the few tears that escaped.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled. This was something she was going to regret for the rest of her life. There was never going to be another man that made her feel the way Natsu did. She was going to regret rejecting him. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to betray Loke, "I'm sorry"

Lucy looked at him through the corner of her eye and bit her lip to keep a sob back. His back was to her and she couldn't read the air around him.

"I'll take you back home." His voice was strained, but from what, Lucy didn't know.

"Okay"

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 **Hope you guys liked it! I definitely would love to add more detail to the scenes but then I wouldn't meet my Monday deadline. Maybe when this story is done, I'll go back and rewrite it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, not at all happy how this chapter turned out. Though I did just write it. Took me two hours to do. I will try to revise it and if there are any major changes I will let you know before reading the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Fairy Tail buuut the plot is mine.**

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Lucy stood in front of her apartment building. Natsu dropped her off mere minutes ago but the second he did, he disappeared. The rejection must have hit him hard. He hadn't said a word since she denied him. Lucy rubbed her arm and looked at her apartment. What would be awaiting her when she stepped back in?

Lucy took the steps and stood at her door. She had lost her purse and had no way of getting in. Maybe Lisanna returned home early. Lucy knocked on the door. There was soft padding of feet on the other side and Lucy sighed in relief.

"Lucy!" Lisanna exclaimed, immediately enveloping Lucy in a hug. Lucy returned the hug in earnest.

"Lisanna"

After a few moments the two girls broke apart and they went inside. Lucy observed her roommate. First, she looked haggard as if she hadn't slept much these past couple of days. Her short white hair was in a tangled mess and kept back with a headband. There were bags underneath her eyes and they were red.

They went into the living room and sat down on the couch. The air was little bit awkward. They weren't close and only roomed together because this was student housing. The office chose your roommates for you. Lisanna always kept to herself. She always declined any invitation Lucy extended to her.

"You're back early." Lucy stated, trying to break the silence.

"Loke called me. He said you went missing. He told me this crazy story." The tone in Lisannas voice made Lucy think she believed Loke.

"Yeah, it was crazy. I got kidnapped yesterday." Lucy gave her a small smile

"Lucy. What happened?" Lisanna asked sternly. Something in her voice made Lucy become cautious.

"Umm" The blond hesitated. Completely unsure if it was safe to tell her everything. Last thing she needed was to be evicted because of her sanity.

"Start from the beginning. From Tuesday night. Loke said that's when it all started."

"Well, it's hard to believe but I was attacked Tuesday night by some vampires. Like not your fairy tale vampire but some grotesque, disgusting creatures. I must have breathed in some sort of drug because the more I ran the more I seemed to stay still. Then a demon saved me."

Lucy took a breath, "The next day seemed normal but on my way to Cana's I got kidnapped. When I woke up I was tied to a chair in some sort of room. There were three people and they interrogated me. They were convinced I was part of sort of group because I survived the vampire attack. Then they dropped me into a room full of vampires. Then the demon saved me again."

Lisanna eyes narrowed and her forehead creased as she thought deeply. She whipped out her phone and sent out a text.

"Lisanna?"

The air was tense. Lisanna kept shifting her position, her eyes darting around the room.

"I'm sorry Lucy, but I think I caused you all this trouble." The white haired girl finally exhaled, sending Lucy a meek smile.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Lucy's hand gripped the couch cushion she was sitting on.

"Lucy… I didn't want you to find out but the world is not what it seems."

"I don't understand"

"I am not human," Lisanna paused, "I am a demon. Nothing special just an ordinary one. My family is the same; Mirajane and Elfman. Actually that's why I went back home. There's a group targeting us and we thought safety in numbers. But we didn't expect them to come here and attack. They must not know what I looked like because they got you instead."

"Whaat?" Lucy's mouth hung open and her eyes were wide. Her knuckles were white from gripping the cushion so hard. She was like Natsu?

Lisanna didn't meet her gaze but stared at the floor.

"Why are you being targeted?" Lucy asked. Lisanna looked up sharply with eyes wide. She expected Lucy to deny everything she said but the blonde was taking it rather well.

"Well in our world there is a war going on. There's a struggle for power. The high court of Roseburg was murdered. You can compare it a government. No one knows who did it but everybody is trying to take over."

Lisanna paused, she looked to the side and folded her hands together,

"All the creatures you thought didn't exist, do exist. We just hide our existence from humans. The high court keeps everybody in check. They make sure everybody is able to live peacefully. But there are people who believe we shouldn't hide in the shadows. That, instead, humans should be our slaves while we rule the world."

Lucy tried to imagine herself a slave towards a supernatural being but couldn't.

"But why were you targeted?" Lucy asked, surprisingly keeping up with Lisanna story.

"Our family, the Strauss family, are deeply opposed against the vampires. They are trying to make a monarchy and govern over all species. And since they thrive off human blood, they want to enslave the human race. Because of that there's a group of us fighting back. Because of that they're trying to kill us off."

"Vampires? But they looked completely mindless!" Lucy interjected.

"Yes and no. The vampires you encountered are impure, mixed bloods. Turned without a mates bite. The purebloods are very much powerful and civilized."

Lucy stared at Lisanna. Trying to concentrate on digesting the information she was given. A paranormal world? Lucy thought of Natsu. Was he part of the power struggle? Did he belong to a group? Lucy stared at her lap.

"There was a woman with long red hair. She kept asking me what faction I was with. They wanted to know how I escaped the vampires." Lucy said in a low voice.

"What?! A woman with long red hair?" Lisanna stood up, almost knocking over the coffee table.

"Yeah"

"Erza Scarlet" Lisanna plopped back down on the couch and looked dazed. She then pulled out her phone and sent another text.

"Do you know her?" Lucy asked.

"Erza Scarlet. She's a dark fey. A very powerful one. Her sights is to restore the high court of Roseburg to benefit her race. There's always been at least one of every race on the council."

"What would she want with me? Or you in this case?"

"Well, you said you survived the vampire attack. When they found out you were human they must have thought that you sided with someone. By the way, who saved you?"

 _"The Salamander helps no one. He leaves a trail of death where ever he goes."_

"Um, I don't know." Lucy lied. She remembered there reaction to Natsu. She wasn't going to see him again, maybe. Better to keep his reputation.

"Okay, but how did you get back home. I sincerely doubt Erza would just let you walk out alive. She usually kills all her victims."

"Well… the place blew up and I got out amidst the confusion."

"Okay. We'll have to keep our guard up. Once they find out your missing, they'll come back for you." Lisanna got up and went into the kitchen.

"I'm going to shower. Then find Loke." Lucy yawned. It would be nice to spend some time with him. He must be worried sick.

* * *

What Lucy did not expect was for Loke to barge in in the middle of her shower. He hugged her tight as the water soaked through his clothes.

"Llloke!" Lucy stood there awkwardly as her boyfriend held her.

"I thought you were dead." His arms tightened and he pressed his face into her shoulder. Lucy relaxed and put her arms around him.

"I'm not dead, I'm right here." She consoled him. After a few minutes he lifted his head and gave her a smile. He leaned in and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss. Lucy noticed there wasn't any passion behind it but thought nothing of it.

"Loke, let me shower and I'll be right out."

"Okay, don't take too long." Despite his words Lucy couldn't help but take her time. The hot water just alleviated so much stress that she couldn't resist but just stand under the stream. It was only when the water became cold that she finally got out.

"Feel better?" Loke asked. He had changed clothes and was now just sitting leisurely on her bed.

"Yeah, sorry, the hot water felt too good." Lucy yawned. She hadn't gotten much sleep lately and it was all catching up to her. The shower didn't help and all she wanted to do was lay down.

"Baby don't fight it, go to bed. Call me when you wake up." Loke said with a small smile.

"No, I want to spend time with you" Lucy whined, but in fact she did want to go bed.

"It's okay, I have an early shift today. I'll come see you tonight."

Lucy frowned. Was his job that important that he couldn't call in sick? She felt slightly irritated at him. If the tables were turned, she would take a couple of days off in order to be with him.

"Okay"

"Don't be sad baby. I'll see if I can get off early."

"Okay"

Loke sensing her irritation, got up and hugged her once more. He gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Please don't hate me. I'm only doing what I'm doing is too make sure we have a happy future."

"I don't care about the future, I care about the present."

"Baby please don't be like that"

Lucy avoided his gaze.

"I'm sorry. I'll see you after work." He gave her one last hug and then left. Lucy stood there, fighting hard not to cry. She wanted Loke to stay. Why was that so hard for him to understand? Any other boyfriend would have. Taking a deep breath she changed into her pajamas and got under the covers.

She was out like a light.

* * *

 **Yeah I know. A little tough to read but hey I kept my deadline! Like I said, I most likely will revise this chapter. Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yesterday was the 4th of July so the chapter is up today! Hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Just the plot. Just the plot.**

* * *

Lucy didn't want to wake up. Waking up would mean facing reality. The disagreement with Loke had hit her like a rock. Her body was trying to wake up but Lucy pushed back. Just a few more hours of sleep. She almost succeeded but there was a presence in her room. Loke?

Her eyes snapped open and she bolted out of bed. Natsu was sitting at her desk, absentmindedly tapping his fingers. He was staring at her, eyebrows knitted together and mouth drawn tight. Taken by surprise, Lucy did the first thing that came to mind. She screamed.

"What the hell is wrong with you woman?!" Natsu bolted up, clearly not expecting her reaction. A few of her books and the chair went flying to the floor.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you! This is my room! How the fuck did you get in here?!" Lucy instinctively looked to her bedroom window. It was open. Damn him. "This is the second floor!?"

"Haven't we established that I'm not human?" Natsu crossed his arms and heaved a sigh.

"Lucy! Lucy!" Lisanna busted in, cutting off what Lucy was about to retort, "Are you alright? I heard you screaming."

She caught sight of Natsu and visibly paled. Lucy found herself lifted from bed and on the other side of her room with Lisanna in front of her. The white haired girl was crouched down and baring her fangs. Oh yeah, Lisanna was a demon. Knowing that and seeing it were two completely different things. Fear spiked in Lucy. She had lived with Lisanna for almost a year. During that time they were practically strangers, the girl avoided any quality time together. Was there trust between them?

"Don't play with me sprite." Natsu uttered in a threatening tone. His stance became predatory. He stood up tall, squaring his shoulders. His hands folded into fists and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"You. What are you doing here?" Lisanna's voice shook. Fear leaked into her words. Her eyes darted around the room in an attempt to find an escape route, or at least a weapon to fend him off.

"Step away from her." Natsu demanded coldly.

"No"

Lisanna's arms glowed and turned into sharp feline claws. Natsu raised his fist and it combusted. Lucy's eyes widened. They were going to fight in her room! And most likely Natsu was going to kill her. And her room was going to be trashed.

"Guys sstop!" Lucy pushed Lisanna out of the way and held her hands up to both of them.

"Lucy!" Lisanna uttered in shock, "You don't know who this is! He is going to kill you!"

"No he is not, he saved me." Both parties refused to yield, "Guys please don't fight!"

They still refused to yield, the air was tense and Lucy tried not to waver. Being in the middle of what seemed a standoff was nerve wrecking, Finally Natsu lowered his fist, extinguishing the fire on the way.

"Don't test me sprite."

Lisanna didn't relax. She still looked like she was going to pounce at him any moment.

"Please Lisanna! Don't fight!" Lucy turned to her roommate and pleaded.

"Lucy you don't who this is. He _will_ kill you."

"No he won't. He saved me. I trust him." Trust. The word just tumbled out of her mouth and the young woman was surprised that she actually meant it. Even Natsu raised an eyebrow at her statement.

"That's insane! You don't know my world. You don't know what this guy has done to our world."

"I trust him Lisanna."

Lisanna looked past Lucy and growled at Natsu. Natsu seemed more than happy to return the favor. He even resumed his stance.

"Natsu! You're not helping." She barked at him. The man flinched as if he was a puppy being scolded and he relaxed, "Lisanna please"

Lisanna was staring bewildered at the two. Lucy had just scolded… _scolded_ the demon who was feared by everyone. And he looked _guilty_! What the hell? This guy starred in nightmares and here he was, cowering before a human.

"What is going on?" Lisanna finally relented but kept her guard up. He claws turned back into hands.

"I don't know, he just randomly showed up in my room." Lucy shrugged her shoulders. Completely oblivious to the true meaning of her question. She was just happy that her room didn't turn into a war zone. Lisanna looked at Natsu.

"I've come to stake my claim."

Lisanna's eyes widened and she stared at the two.

"You've come to do _what?!_ "Lucy retorted. She stared at Natsu as if he sprouted a second head. She must have heard him wrong. This wasn't the Homestead Act and she was not property.

"I thought I could let you leave but then _he_ showed up. _And_ he laid a hand on what's mine." Natsu's nose crinkled in disgust and he bared his fangs at the thought.

"Excuse you" Lucy reeled at him, completed aghast at his statement, "Who the hell do you think you are? I am not property!"

"I'm a man who gets what he wants."

"Sorry to disappoint you but you're not getting anything. You can leave if that's all you're going to say." Lucy gestured to the window. "And next time use the door like a normal human being!"

Lucy blinked and Natsu was standing in front of her. Her breath hitched in her throat as she took a whiff of his scent. He pushed her back until her back hit the wall. His hand came up and cupped her face. His eyes spoke magnitudes as they bore into Lucy's,

"You can't honestly prefer that little boy over me." He grasped her chin and pulled her face closer to his, "It's embarrassing for the both of us."

Lucy's mind went blank. Weakly she lifted her arms up in a vain attempt to push him back. Her mouth parted with his lips so close by. Natsu brought his arm up to the wall successfully trapping her with his body,

"I can tell you want me. I smell it. You can lie to yourself but you can't lie to me."

Lucy gazed down at his mouth. She bit her lip thinking of how his fangs would feel at her neck.

"Give in Lucy," Natsu seemed to read her mind and he lowered his mouth to her throat. He gently caressed her cheek. Lucy was about to give in until she noticed Lisanna through her peripheral vision. This gave her the strength to push him away. This caught Natsu off guard and he stumbled a step back.

"What the fuck!" Natsu bellowed, running his hand through his hair before punching a hole in the wall. He gritted his teeth and his eyes narrowed. The room heated up a couple of degrees. Lucy stood still not expecting such a strong reaction. She exchanged a look with Lisanna. The girl shook her head at Lucy as if to convey a message but Lucy was lost.

"Do you really think you can break into somebody's room and try to seduce them? And for your information I'm very happy with Loke thank you very much."

"Fuck, woman. How many times do I have to tell you that you are mine? You can't expect me to tolerate another boy touching you."

"What the hell does that even mean? I never agreed to go out with you. You're not my father. You have no say so in my love life!" Lucy looked over at Lisanna for some moral support but the girl was looking at her in horror.

"Are you stupid? Do I have to dumb it down for you? Can you understand English? You are my mate. Whether we like it or not, you are bound to me."

"Oh no, you did not just call me a retard. You pig headed fire blazing freak!"

"God, woman! You infuriate me!"

"I have a name dumbass!"

"I'll use it when you deserve it!"

"GET OUT!" Lucy marched towards him. She grabbed his cloak and tried to drag him to the window. All she succeeded in was pulling the material off of him and falling to the floor. She threw the cloak at Natsu in frustration.

"Lucy calm down!" Lisanna interjected. She made her way over and caught Lucy before she could get up and attack Natsu again. Lucy stared at Natsu with contempt. Who the hell did he think he was? This was the 21st century. People did not believe in soulmates.

How could he come into her life and turn everything upside down. Of course she wanted to give in. Who would turn down a drop dead sexy specimen of a man? The cloak no longer concealed his body and Lucy's eyes hungrily raked every inch of it. Her hands ached to run across his body, to dig her fingernails into the grooves of his muscles. Oh the things she could to him, and the things she would let him do to her. Yeah, Lucy was an idiot to deny him.

Natsu must have smelled her arousal because his eyes darkened. His mouth parted and he licked his lips. He strode over to her slowly, like a cat toying with a mouse. Lucy followed his movements, she got up with Lisanna's help, not willing to be in a vulnerable position. It was a good thing Lisanna was there because Lucy didn't know if she had the resolve to stop him.

"Would it be that repulsive to be with me? Am I so repugnant to you that you can't even give me a chance?" his voice was low. Husky. Sexy.

Lucy felt Lisanna shudder. Why shouldn't she? She probably wanted Natsu to come at her.

A flare of jealousy went through Lucy.

 _He's mine!_

The thought shocked her. He was not hers, no matter what words he uttered. Loke was hers and she was his. Her eyes met Natsu's.

"Don't come near me" Lucy sputtered out. She moved farther away from him, nearly stumbling on the fallen chair.

"Is it so bad to let go and try new things?" Natsu came closer

"I don't want to try new things. I want things to stay the same." That wasn't true. Lucy did want things to change, just not with Natsu.

He approached her and Lucy averted his eyes from him. If she looked at him then she would give in. She only met this man for a few days but it felt like she knew him for an eternity.

"Lucy look at me."

He was only a few inches away and Lucy bit her lip to stop herself from complying to his demand.

"No, I can't"

"For fuck's sake woman!" Natsu grabbed her by the arms and shook her. Lucy head snapped towards him and she slapped him.

"Don't touch me!"

It seemed that wasn't the smartest move on Lucy's part. Rage consumed Natsu and he stepped back. Fire flicked around his body as he tried to control it. Lisanna instantly scrambled out of the room. Lucy watched her go and wished she could follow suit. But the pink haired man stood in the way and the girl started to fear him a little.

"You." Natsu pointed at her. His voice was strained and he battled himself to keep the fire contained on his body.

"Right now. Me or him." Fire danced in his eyes, "Choose the latter and you will never see me again."

Lucy just stared at him bewildered. There was no choice in the matter. She couldn't choose him. Though the prospect of never seeing him again shook her to the core. This guy was a stranger, yet he already had a huge impact on her life.

"I'm sorry" Lucy whispered. She couldn't count how many times she rejected a man. But she could count that this rejection was going to haunt her for the rest of life.

Natsu roared. It was deafening. It was frightening. It was heartbreaking.

"You made your choice. Now reap what you sow."

He was gone.

* * *

 **Yes? No? Maybe so? Let me know of any plot holes or errors or anything that doesn't seem right. See you next week!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Two words: Pokemon _GO_ **

**I know, right?**

 **This chapter was ready yesterday but I wanted to do more tweaking. Oh and I found an error in my story. Lucy got attacked Tuesday night, kidnapped Wednesday, and returned Thursday. Don't ask me what I was thinking when I was writing.**

 **Disclaimer: Characters- Hiro Mashima Plot-Me**

* * *

Lucy stared at the spot where Natsu was. She stood there frozen. Her heart squeezed. Her breath shortened. She brought her hands to her face and found tears. Was she really crying over a stranger?

No, this was the right choice. Then why did she feel like her heart was torn out?

Getting her emotions in check, Lucy stumbled out of her room, desperate for some type of comfort. Lisanna was still here. She found the girl clutching her cell phone by the door.

"Where is he?" Lisanna asked, she was frightened, staring wide-eyed at Lucy.

"He's gone. He won't come back." Lucy whispered. She rubbed her arm absentmindedly. She went into the kitchen and grabbed a water from the fridge. Leaning against the counter, she took a sip.

"He'll be back." Lisanna relaxed a little bit but went to check in Lucy's bedroom just to be sure he was really gone.

"No he won't." Lucy told Lisanna when the girl came back. Lisanna just sighed.

"Look, you don't know how our world works—"

"I don't need to know how _your_ world works. I do not want Natsu. I have Loke" Lucy spat out. Was it the same with all demons? Did they only care about their selfish needs? Lucy was human, she did not share the tendencies of these fictional creatures.

"Loke is not a good match for you."

"What?!"

"I've seen you guys interact. You might love him but it won't work out in the end."

"You're in no position to be judging my relationship."

"Tell me Lucy, where was Loke when you came home?"

"Don't be hard on him. He had work."

"He could've taken a sick day."

"He's an honest person"

"Would you have taken a sick day if the roles were reversed?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Maybe because you just pissed off a very dangerous demon."

"What's so special about Natsu anyway? He doesn't look dangerous at all."

There was pause. Long enough for Lucy to start getting fidgety.

"Lisanna?"

"Natsu… Dragneel… I don't know how to explain it to you" Lisanna tugged at her bangs. Her eyes grew sad and she looked off into the distance. She opened her mouth but then closed it again, "He…he is destruction. They say he's a Zeref creation."

Zeref, that name was even familiar to Lucy. From what she could remember Zeref lived 1200 years ago and he had caused destruction around the whole world.

"I don't understand. Zeref lived 1200 years ago" Lucy stuttered trying to figure out what Lisanna was trying to say.

"Zeref was a demon. He was born to a lower class family, nothing special. He enlisted in a militia and began to climb the ranks. Then one day Natsu showed up, and he annihilated everyone who stood in Zeref's way. We're talking about beings who led us, protected us. Zeref became in charge and began to build in even larger army. Natsu did all the dirty work on the behalf of Zeref. Both sought to dominate the world and they nearly succeeded. But something happened and the two of them had a falling out and Zeref disappeared. Some say Natsu killed him. Others say he is in hiding."

Lisanna paused,

"But ever since then Natsu been going around and destroying everything in his path. Nobody knows why. Nobody can stop him."

"He didn't destroy me." Lucy chipped in.

"You're his mate. Of course he won't destroy you. He can't."

"I'm not his mate. He must be confusing me with someone else."

"No it's not a mistake."

"I rejected him."

"It'll come back to bite you in the ass. For as little as we know about Natsu, he always gets what he wants. But for now we have to wait for his retaliation."

"Retaliation?"

"Yeah, whenever Natsu gets pissed, something gets destroyed."

"No."

"You don't need to believe me. It will happen. You will see."

Lucy crushed her now empty water bottle. Natsu wouldn't do anything drastic because of her. Would he? She remembered his roar. There was so much anger in it. How could she _not_ expect him to keep a civil mind?

"I alerted my sister, there'll be someone on watch." Lisanna said, "We can't do much but at least we can limit loss of life."

"I made the right decision" Lucy told Lisanna but it was probably more for herself.

"It'll haunt you. Mating bonds are not to be taken lightly. But then again, I've never heard of a demon bonding with a human."

"Because it didn't happen!" Lucy gritted her teeth and scrunched up her face. She massaged her temple with one hand. The past couple of days were like from a really bad nightmare. To top it all Lisanna was staring at her with sympathy.

The silence was audible and Lucy did not know what to say. She didn't want to know anything about another world. All she wanted to was graduate and maybe marry Loke. Have some kids and raise them. Was that hard to ask for? She needed to worry about school anyway. School… School!

"Crap I have project due today. Please tell me today is Thursday!"

* * *

It was 6pm and Lucy rushed to make it to class. She barely finished her project on time and prayed to God that it was worth an A. She slid into her seat just a second before her professor entered the room. Dr. Redstorm was known for his tight attendance policy. If you were even a minute late he wouldn't let you attend the lecture. And there were lots of participation points in lecture.

"Lucy! Where have you been? You missed our study session this morning." A blue haired girl whispered to Lucy.

"Levy! I forgot! I'm so sorry!" Lucy pulled out her planner and sure enough she had a study date at 9am today.

"I tried calling you but it kept going to voicemail."

That's right Lucy lost her bag yesterday. Lucy sighed. No doubt someone stole it. That was a designer bag too. Kate Spade. Loke had given it to her for her birthday.

"Anyways, are you ready for your presentation?" Levy asked, completely aware of Lucy's silence.

"Sort of. I had trouble last night. I barely finished it an hour ago." Lucy snapped out of it. She reached into her bag and pulled her laptop out with a couple of notebooks.

"I thought you finished it last week?" Levy asked

"I finished my essay but I still needed to tweak my PowerPoint." Lucy powered her laptop on. While waiting she pulled her essay out and scanned it real quick to make sure everything was in order. Once her laptop booted up she got out her USB stick and transferred the PowerPoint to it.

"Living dangerously, eh?" Levy teased while getting her own materials out. Lucy shrugged in response.

"You know, life likes to happen sometimes." Lucy stuck her tongue out at Levi. Something came to mind to Lucy and she hesitated before asking the blue haired girl.

"Umm, Levi. Have you heard of Zeref?"

"Zeref?" Levy looked up from her notebook and gave Lucy a quizzical stare.

Lucy nodded.

"Didn't he live like a 1000 years ago?"

"That's what I heard." Lucy sighed again.

"Are you okay? You've been sighing a lot"

"Everything is fine!" Lucy brought her energy up and waved it off. No need to worry Levy. If anything Levy was lucky. Lucy took a glance at the girl, suddenly feeling envious. It must be nice to still be living in the dark. After all, Lucy's world got turned upside down two days ago.

"Well if you need anything, you can always ask me." Levy smiled. She turned back to her work and began to sort through some papers.

"Thanks Levy." Lucy leaned against her hand stared at the home screen on her laptop, "Say Levy, do you believe in de—"

"Hearfilia!" Dr. Redstorm bellowed throughout the classroom. Lucy jumped and almost sent her laptop flying. She barely caught it in time and blushed from embarrassment, "I assume from your incessant talking that you are ready to present."

Dr. Redstorm cocked an eyebrow at her and waited expectantly for an answer.

"Well, I, uh…" Lucy stumbled for words.

"Since you have so much to say, please come up and give your presentation." Dr. Redstorm took off his glasses and headed to his laptop in the corner of the room.

"Yes sir." Lucy mumbled.

"Good Luck!" Levy whispered as Lucy grabbed her USB stick and headed towards the front. Lucy groaned and tried to keep the nerves down. This was not how she wanted to present her project. Oh well.

* * *

 **For those who didn't read A/N, Lucy got attacked Tuesday night, kidnapped Wednesday, and returned Thursday. Sorry about the confusion.**

 **But seriously, check out Pokemon _GO_. It will run your life o.o**

 **See you next Monday!**


	10. Chapter 10

**And with further ado, I present Chapter 10! Thank you for everyone who pointed out the spelling for Levy. Honestly it was written correctly for half of the document and then I started writing it wrong. Oh well.**

 **Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima**

* * *

"That was brutal." Lucy exasperated as she came out the classroom with Levy.

"What are you talking about, you got 83 points on your PowerPoint."

"That's just it! What if I get 90 points on my essay! Then I will have B for the project. And then my grade will slip to a B. And then I will die." Lucy whined. After all her 4.0 GPA was at stake here.

"You always get A's on your essays. Stop stressing."

"Levyyy"

"Everything is going to fine. Do you want to grab dinner?"

"I would love to but I have to go see Cana. I, uh, forgot about her yesterday?" Well she couldn't exactly say that she was kidnapped.

"Good Luck!" Levy laughed. She knew Cana and her temper.

"Lord knows I'm going to need it!" Lucy grumbled

They parted ways when they exited the building. Lucy looked at the night sky and let her mind wander. So many things happened in just two days. Would everything really go back to normal?

Cana's apartment wasn't too far away but due to recent events she didn't want to dilly dally. If she had her wallet she would've called Uber. Darn she should've asked Levy for a ride. Lucy tried to speed walk but she ended up jogging the whole way. She was on high alert and jumped at every little sound. When she passed the spot where she got kidnapped, Lucy took off at a dead sprint. Lightning strikes more than once in the same place, kidnapping could work the same way.

By the time Lucy reached Cana's, Lucy had to bend over and catch her breath. It was going to take a while before she felt safe on the streets. Great, no more midnight munchy runs.

The sign in front of the building read Twin Pines. It was a decent place and you didn't have to have a roommate to rent a place. Cana landed an accounting job during college and dropped out to pick up more hours. Her dad was more than willing to pay for all the expenses but Cana wanted to be independent. Every chance Lucy gets, she tries to encourage her best friend to go back to school and at least get a degree in something. Always have a plan B because you never know when plan A will fail.

Lucy made her way past the sign and climbed the stairs. When she reached the correct door, she took a deep breath and knocked.

"Coming!" A voice shouted from the other side. The dead bolt was unlocked and the door swung open. A tall brunette stood rooted to the ground. Her mouth was slightly ajar and there were hints of tears forming in her eyes. Lucy smiled sheepishly and raised her hand in greeting.

"Hi"

"Lucy!" the brunette launched herself at Lucy and enveloped her in a hug. Lucy returned the embrace and felt her emotions slip. There was only so much you could hold in when you face your best friend.

"Cana" Lucy dug her fingers in Cana's shirt and let loose. Both girls sunk to the ground as Cana comforted Lucy. The blonde buried her face into brunette chest and soaked the shirt with tears. Her sobs grew stronger and they began to rack her body as she started to hyperventilate. Why was she crying in the first place? Was it over the kidnapping? Natsu? Loke? All three combined?

Lucy considered herself a strong-independent woman. Her mother died at a young age and her father went MIA in her life. She practically had to raise herself. Everything Lucy achieved in life was due to her hard work. She met Cana her freshman year in college. For some reason Lucy felt drawn to the girl and immediately struck up a friendship. Lucy never showed her vulnerable side to anyone. Not even Loke. But Cana was a different story. If anything Cana was her soulmate.

Cana stroked Lucy's hair and tried to keep her own tears in check. After a few minutes Lucy began to calm down. She pulled back and tried to wipe the snot and tears off her face the best she could.

"Come on, let's go in." Cana got up and helped Lucy up. Lucy instantly went to bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. It felt good. Then again letting a load off like that lightened her shoulders considerably.

When Lucy walked to the living room, she found Cana pouring two shots of tequila. Lucy laughed a little bit. She didn't expect anything else from her best friend.

"Bottoms up!" Cana gave Lucy a shot. Lucy immediately tipped it back and scrunched up her face. Tequila was good but it seemed Cana skimped out on the good kind because it burned going down. When Cana pushed the second shot towards Lucy, she didn't think but threw that one back as well.

"Feel better?"

"Oh yeah. I haven't had tequila in a while." Lucy sat down on the couch and enjoyed the sensation of alcohol running through her blood stream. She leaned her head against the back rest and closed her eyes. Cana sat beside her and took a swig straight out of the bottle.

"Eh, I should've gotten Patron." The current tequila was okay but nothing beat Patron.

"Then you should've gotten Patron." Lucy remarked

"I didn't want to waste my money in case my date was a bust. There's no way I'm sharing good alcohol with a douchebag."

"How did that go by the way?" Lucy perked up and sat up straight. There was no way she was missing out in the details of Cana's new boy toy.

"Fucken horrible!"

"What!? You said things were going swimmingly!" Lucy said bewilderedly.

"I mean it's going great! But shit" Cana crossed her arms and nodded in affirmation.

"Okay, I'm lost. Dumb it down for us small folk over here."

"He can outdrink me."

Lucy couldn't help but stare at Cana. One of Cana's talent is the ability to outdrink anyone, anywhere, anytime. Never had they met a person who could keep up with Cana's intake of alcohol. They've even cashed out on it by making wagers with unlucky fellows. If you have a talent, use it to your advantage.

"I won't believe till I see it." Lucy said with disbelief. She took the bottle of tequila from Cana and took a swig.

"Come out with us tomorrow night. There's club I want to check out in downtown. Hey you should invite Loke. And we can double date!"

"That sounds like fun." Clubs. The notion of drunk sweaty bodies grinding against each other would turn anybody off but Lucy loved it. She loved feeling a male against her body. She loved the excitement it build. For her, dancing with a man brought on a high.

"By the way I have your stuff." Cana got up and pulled Lucy's Kate Spade purse out of the closet. Lucy looked at it and almost started crying.

"Cana you're amazing! How?" Lucy grabbed the purse and hugged it. Oh Kate Spade.

"You never showed up so I went out looking and I found that." Cana took the bottle back and took another swig of the tequila, "I sure hope I never have to do that again."

"I'm sorry" Lucy looked down to the purse and grew somber. This was what she dreaded. How the hell was Cana gonna react to her tale?

For the next twenty minutes Lucy recounted it. It wasn't easy, especially when Natsu kept popping up. It was one thing telling Lisanna that Natsu would never happen, and another when your best friend knew you better than yourself.

"Jesus Lucy! You need to bag his bones!" Cana exclaimed. Lucy reeled back from her statement. Did everything about demons and paranormal activities fly past Cana's brain? Apparently.

"Uhh"

"And don't you dare give me the Loke bullshit. You're young, and this guy sounds like he's the winner."

"Umm, Cana, did you not hear anything I just said?" Lucy exclaimed.

"I heard everything you just said. When a man makes you feel like a woman, you fuck him. Plain and simple. And the problem of a boyfriend? Dump him. I thought you were smarter than that."

"But I love Loke! I can't just betray him like that."

"Lucy, you haven't been happy for a while. I never said anything because it would upset you even more. If I were you, dump Loke and find Natsu. Grovel if you need to get him to forgive you."

"I I can't do that." Lucy stuttered, completely taken aback from her best friend's reaction.

"Bullshit."

"Cana!"

"Where do you think your relationship is going?! How often do you guys see each other?! He can't even quit his job for you. That alone should speak volumes! Stop being a baby and face the truth. Loke was a good run and a nice stepping stone in life but you're not meant to end up with him. I'm sure he realizes it as well but doesn't want to hurt your feelings."

Lucy felt like she was just slapped in the face. Cana never expressed negative feelings towards Loke. Was the whole world against their relationship? Lucy got up and headed towards the door. The buzz of alcohol prevented her from thinking straight. She did not want to sit through another lecture about her love life.

"Lucy!"

"I'm sorry your feel that way. But it's not up to you how my love life turns out. It's not your problem"

"The fuck! Who the hell is going to pick up your sorry ass when things go south? ME! This IS my fucking problem!"

"Fuck off!" Lucy slammed the door and took off. She tried to keep the tears at bay but when your world is falling apart there's only so much you can stave away.

* * *

Damn right she should bag his bones, Natsu thought as he sat in the shadows. What was it going to take for his pretty little mate to accept him? The sheer idiocrasy of being rejected over a pompous bastard boiled Natsu's blood. More than once he had to stop himself from burning that jerk to cinders.

That guy probably couldn't even protect her. Wouldn't protect her. Especially now. How could he let her walk around at night so vulnerable? Natsu growled possessively. He could tell from her posture that she was scared stiff. If she chose him, she would never feel fear. He'd defend her with his life.

Natsu grimaced at his thoughts. Why did he care? He wanted to leave her alone. Wanted her to be miserable for the rest of her short life. It would be comedy to watch the regret roll over her and see her miserable attempts in finding him.

Grovel at his feet? Natsu smiled wickedly at the thought. How many women had he slain when they did just that? He couldn't even remember them all.

Turmoil. Chaos. Devastation.

The three things he lived on for the past millennia. It would be such a turn on to see those emotions on his mates face.

Nonetheless, the dragon wouldn't allow it. He forbade it. Which was why Natsu found himself stalking Lucy.

He watched the sway of her hips as she walked and couldn't help but remember their near tryst in the forest. He didn't recognize himself back there. He always scoffed at the notion of having a mate. He told himself if he ever encountered her, he would kill her. But that night, that moment, he was more than ready to bind his soul to hers. Zeref would be disappointed.

"This is the last time" Natsu mumbled under his breath. This would be the last time he saw her. She chose her path, it was time for him to complete his.

The dragon inside him growled in disagreement.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it! I say in about two chapters things are going to get complicated. Thank you everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed this story. It gives me motivation to keep writing!**

 **See you next Monday.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm married! I got married July 30 which is why I haven't been updating. And right now I'm in Hawaii on my honeymoon! I apologize to everybody for not updating but life comes first. I will be playing catch up since I'm two chapters behind. Enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Do not own the characters. Just the plot.**

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Lucy stood in front of the club. She was still furious with Cana and kept telling herself that she was not going to come. But somehow she found herself standing in front of the entrance. She crossed her arms and pouted at the club. Cana was already inside with her boyfriend. Lucy invited Loke but he said he'd stop by after work. Irritation. They still hadn't really made up from their fight and the conversation was a little awkward.

Against her will, Lucy couldn't help but think about Cana's words. Were Loke and her destined to break up in the future? It's true that she hadn't been happy for a while but that could be just a phase. Lucy was not the kind of girl who needed a boyfriend. She sighed. Maybe it was time for some serious soul searching.

Reluctantly Lucy paid the bouncer and entered the club. The club was fairly new thus it was already crowded at 9pm. It would be kind of hard to find Cana in the throngs of people but there was only one place the brunette would be at this time. The bar. Hopefully Loke would show up because Lucy wanted to dance.

They were playing Lucy's kind of music and her body started to sway to the beat of it. Maybe she wouldn't wait for Loke. Maybe there would be someone else she could grind on. Namely someone with pink hair. Lucy quickly shook the thought out of her head. Natsu had declared he was finished with her. That was a good thing… right?

The young woman made her way to the bar. She had to fight through the crowd a little but at least she made it to her destination. And there was Cana, with her boy toy, and several bottles of alcohol. Wordlessly Lucy sat down next to her and attempted to get the bar tenders attention. Cana turned to her and gave a small smile.

"Didn't expect you to come." Cana took a swig from her beer.

"I wasn't coming" Lucy replied. Finally the bar tender came over, "Gin and tonic please."

"Is Loke coming?"

"He said he will be here after work"

Cana leaned against one her arms and stared ahead. Lucy felt the unspoken words between them and when her drink came she downed it. Strong. Immediately she requested two more. The night might be a long one.

"Oh let me introduce you to Bacchus." Cana shot up. She gestured towards the man beside her. Lucy looked at him and he looked at her. "Bacchus this is Lucy, Lucy this is Bacchus. Boyfriend meet best friend and vice versa."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at the word "boyfriend" Cana did not have boyfriends. Something must have happened but this was not the time inquire.

The man was taller than Cana. He had broad shoulders which stretched his shirt a little. You could see the muscles underneath it. His hair was black and tied loosely in a ponytail. It looked as if he already had a few drinks. He raised his hand in greeting and Lucy gave him a smile.

"I heard you can outdrink my best friend over here." Lucy said, deciding to break the ice first.

"She's just a light weight." Bacchus teased.

"Yeah when pigs fly" Lucy retorted. Bacchus just gave her a smile. Lucy's attention got diverted when her drink showed up. She drank one immediately and sighed. It was hard to find bar that was generous with alcohol. This place definitely deserved more visits.

She swiveled her chair around to look at the crowd. A good amount of people were already dancing and Lucy swayed to the music. Hopefully Loke would show up quick. If not, she just might find herself in the middle of the crowd by herself.

"By the way, how did your project go?" Cana asked. Genuine curiosity was in her voice. After all Lucy had skipped out multiple nights on her for the project. Lucy sipped on her third gin and tonic.

"Let's just say I'll be lucky if I keep my 4.0 GPA" Lucy grumbled, completely displeased at being reminded about her report card.

"Bummer, you worked on that thing for weeks."

"Yeah I guess life happens. I'm going to ask Dr. Redstorm for extra credit. Doubt it though."

Lucy felt the alcohol run through her. Her mind was getting hazy and her eyelids drooped a little bit. This felt good. A good de-stressor after her week. Her body kept swaying to the beat of the music and she so badly wanted to be on that dance floor.

"Cana dance with me." Lucy downed the rest of her drink and grabbed her best friends arm. Lucy dragged her to the middle of the dance floor and lightly rested her arms on Cana's shoulders. If words were awkward between them, actions weren't. Cana immediately grabbed Lucy's hips and began to sway with her body.

Dancing was an art, no matter what form you chose to do it in. It gave you the freedom to express yourself. For Lucy, it gave her the chance to grow closer to her partner. Actually it was the reason she decided to go for the long haul with Loke. She took him dancing one night and their bodies communicated perfectly. Forget Loke though, he wasn't here right now.

Cana was yanked out of Lucy's grip by Bacchus and someone else took her place. Lucy was about to turn them down but felt the rhythm of their bodies sync together. Fuck it. Loke was late and she _did_ want to dance. Lucy looked up and found green eyes. The guy had a good build but wasn't exactly her type. He smiled and offered her a drink.

"Gin and tonic?" He shouted above the music

"There's an unspoken code among women to never accept drinks from strangers." Lucy gave herself a mental pat on the back. It was always hard to turn down a free drink.

"Don't worry, your friend over there watched the whole transaction." The guy pointed over to Bacchus. Lucy looked over at him and the man smiled and gave her two thumbs up. Lucy sighed in relief. She was getting thirsty. She grabbed the drink from the stranger and sipped on it. It was stronger. Good. Maybe tonight she would let loose.

"Just until my boyfriend shows up, okay?" If this guy bailed, it would be okay. She got a free drink out of it anyway.

"Fine by me, but if I was him I wouldn't leave you alone."

"Haha very funny."

"No names. Just dance?" he asked. Lucy took another sip of her drink and nodded. Immediately green eyes grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. Their hips grinded against each other and Lucy felt a high coming on. She finished her drink in a hurry, spilling it somewhat, and handed the glass off to someone in the crowd. Her hands shot around his neck and she went to the beat of the music.

Intoxicated and all Lucy imagined Natsu. She closed her eyes and visualized this stranger as her savior. She leaned her forehead against green eyes' and bit her lip. Her hands traveled down the length of his back while gently raking her fingernails against his shirt. Green eyes flipped her around and Lucy's back was to his chest. She tilted her head against his shoulder and grabbed on to the back of his neck. Their bodies swayed to the music and Lucy dug her fingernails into the man's thigh.

They danced to the beat of the music for a good twenty minutes. They were interrupted by Cana who grabbed Lucy's arm and dragged her back to the bar.

"Happy much?" Cana wriggled her eyebrows at her. Mischief danced in her eyes and Lucy knew exactly what she was implying.

"We're just dancing!" Lucy's cheeks heated up, slightly embarrassed at her actions. More so on visualizing Natsu.

"Uh huh okay"

"Not judging but what about Loke?"

"He's not here?" Lucy exasperated, "Plus if I were to cheat on Loke, it would be with Natsu."

Lucy quickly slapped her mouth shut. Dang it. Alcohol always loosened her lips.

"Natsu, eh? Maybe we can find him tonight."

Lucy thought about the fire breathing, pink haired male, "Not gonna happen."

"Oh come on! You're drooling right now just thinking about him. Oh. my. God! You visualized that guy as Natsu!"

"Gin and Tonic!" Lucy yelled at the bartender. Nope, still too sober to admit such an embarrassing act to Cana.

"Luuucy"

Lucy hid her face in her hands while Cana tugged on her arm repeatedly. Her drink arrived shortly and Lucy downed it again. After a few minutes Lucy knew she was going to have a hangover tomorrow morning. She smiled and felt insanely happy; she couldn't remember the last time she consumed this much alcohol.

"You knooow what Cana, I _do_ wish Natsu was here."

Black eyes were definitely better to look at than green.

"That's it! Now where getting somewhere! Another gin and tonic for the lady!" Cana yelled excitedly. It wasn't too often that Lucy got drunk, and Cana always took advantage of it to get secrets out of her, "If he were here, what would you do?"

"Ooohh the _things_ I would _do_ to that man." Lucy bit lip in desire. She tried to imagine his half naked body but her mind was blurry. Somehow another drink appeared in her hand and Lucy drank it, no questions asked.

If Natsu was here, she doubted they would stay at the club. Or in town. She couldn't imagine the fire breathing man to be constrained by walls. Nature suited him well.

"I'm going to decipher that as sex."

Lucy tried to give her a thumbs up but ended stumbling over herself. Cana caught her and helped her straighten up.

"I want to dance _more_." Lucy slurred. Her head snapped towards the dance floor and she searched for green eyes.

"Let's call Natsu. He must have supernatural hearing." Cana tried to tug Lucy to the front of the club.

"He won't come." Lucy pouted, "Green eyes is good enough."

 _Hardly_.

Black eyes over green eyes. Anytime. But he was here and Natsu was not.

Lucy took off towards the dance floor.

"Lucy!" Cana yelled behind her but Lucy just waved at her. She found him in the middle of the dance floor holding two drinks. She grabbed one out of his hand and drank it. He drank the other one. They both dropped the plastic cups onto the ground and began dancing.

Their dancing became more demanding, more animalistic. Pretty soon Lucy found herself kissing the stranger. Their hands were all over each other bodies. Lucy faintly felt something tugging at the edge of her mind but paid no attention.

If Lucy was sober she would have noticed that they were moving towards the back of the dance floor but she was too intoxicated to decipher anything. Her mind was blank and she could hardly remember who she was and where she was. Her body was getting heavier by the moment and she found it hard to stand. Her dancing partner supported her the best he could but began dragging her off the dance floor.

"No…still…dance" Her vision was going in and out. She tried to remember if alcohol caused this but couldn't focus.

"You're going to be okay sweetheart." The stranger encouraged. Lucy's eyes glazed over and her head lolled back.

"Na…tsu" Lucy blacked out.

* * *

Green eyes hooked his arms underneath her armpits and began dragging her to the back of the club. Blondes always fetched a high price and if they dressed this one up right, she could bring in bank. At first it was a no go when he learned her boyfriend was going to show up but when he didn't show, the stranger tried his luck. Also he usually preyed upon lonely woman but her friend seemed too engrossed in her own boyfriend.

The guy reached the back door and banged on it twice. It swung open to reveal two more men. Their faces drew into smiles when they spotted the blond.

"We'll be sittin pretty tonight!" a man with a mustache said excitedly.

"Maybe we should try the merchandise to make sure it's authentic" the second man replied. He had bushy eyebrows.

"As long as we get a high price, I don't give a crap." Green eyes replied.

"She sure is pretty." Bushy eyebrows grabbed her chin and inspected her face.

"And with a big rack." Mustache man fondled her.

"She's definitely not a virgin." Green eyes added.

"Perfect she's already damaged." Mustache man squeezed her chest. Green eyes set her against the wall and let the other two men crowd her. He did not indulge himself with rape, rather preferring willing women. But as soon as a woman became merchandise he didn't care what others did to them. All that mattered was the money.

"Do whatever you want, I'll go get the car." Green eyes pulled a cigarette out and proceeded to light it. This was a good night. He felt slightly sorry for the blond but it was her fault for letting her guard down.

* * *

Loke scanned the dance floor for his girlfriend. She always had a habit of dancing with anybody when she went drinking. He tried to get here as fast as possible but he had things to attend to. He spotted Cana at the bar and made his way over to her.

"Cana!"

The woman turned around and gave him a big smile once she recognized him. He gave her a big hug and when he pulled away he felt her date mad dogging him.

"Don't worry I'm Lucy's boyfriend." Loke put his hands up in defense and Cana's date gave him a small smile, he turned back to Cana, "Where is she?"

"Well…"

"Look I know she's probably dancing with someone. I promise I won't start anything."

"She's in the middle of the dance floor."

"Thanks" and he took off towards that direction. Cana just raised her glass to him.

Loke fought the throngs of people to get by but he didn't see Lucy anywhere.

"Where are you babe" Loke muttered to himself. She was always too trusting. And very handsy when drunk. He slowly made his way to the back of the club. It was usually more dark there, a perfect place to take advantage of someone. As the minutes ticked by Loke began to feel dread.

By some miracle he spotted a glint on the ground. He rushed over to it and found Lucy's cell phone on the ground. He looked up to see a back door. Fear filled him. He bolted towards the door and wrenched it open.

The sight that greeted him made his stomach turn. There was Lucy. Unconscious. Half-naked. With two men.

* * *

Natsu played with the fire on his fingers. He tried not to think about his current location. He was supposed to be halfway around the world right now but somehow found himself tethered to this town. No he wasn't tethered, more like reluctant to leave. He blamed the dragon. The stupid thing fought him every time he attempted to abandon his mate. Yeah Natsu could force it down and leave but it took some effort. So Natsu found himself on a random roof playing with fire.

Natsu was about to attempt to skip town for the umpteenth time when a sour smell hit his nose. He immediately stiffened and felt the dragon roar in rage. His mate was in trouble. Without a second thought Natsu took off after the trail. Lucy's sweat floral scent was tainted. The alcohol he could forgive. Humans tended to consume it religiously. But there was something else. The scent was vile and acidic. Whatever it was it made his heart race and temper soar.

The trail brought him to an alley. The sight before him had him reaching for a power he hadn't used in ages.

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 **Look for updates! Probably sometime next week. Again I apologize.**


	12. Chapter 12

**And we're back in business! I apologize for the long wait but my life got so crazy when I got back home. I started school, went back to work, and dealt with all the bills that piled up. Work has been extremely stressful and I have decided to go part time in October. Thank you everybody who reviewed and stuck with me. Also thank you everybody who congratulated me!**

 **Updates will resume on Mondays!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot.**

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Loke stared at the scene before him. Rage built inside him and his hands balled up into fists. He opened his mouth to shout out profanity when a sudden heat paralyzed him on the spot. Fear like nothing before swept over Loke and he tried to turn his head towards the source. There was man cloaked in black with long unruly pink hair standing at the mouth of the alley.

Loke watched him wide eyed. The man had his eyes trained on Lucy but he didn't move a muscle. The three kidnappers were frozen on the spot and shaking visibly. The two men holding Lucy dropped her to the ground and her body landed in a contorted position. The man's eyes hardened as If he was displeased by their actions. Loke tried to rack his brain for any man that matched one of Lucy's acquaintances. None came to mind.

The man stared hard at the three kidnappers and barely paid attention to Loke. The man parted his lips slightly and a very thin stream of fire came out. Loke's breath hitched in his throat as he remembered Lucy's description of a man who saved her. Pink hair and controlled fire; this guy matched it perfectly. Did she ever tell Loke his name? Wait. Did Loke ever talk to her when she came back? No. No he didn't. Regret washed over him. He should have paid attention to Lucy a little more. His girlfriend could be in a serious mess. Maybe this guy was trying to kill her.

The only indication of movement from the pink haired man was his eyes. The fire slowly danced its way to the man closest to Lucy. The stranger seemed to be tracing a path in the air with his pupils and the fire advanced towards its prey like a snake. The kidnappers were straining futilely against the invisible restraints. Their voices were muted by the fear coursing through them.

The man with the mustache opened his mouth to scream when the fire suddenly plunged down his throat. Instantly the man found his voice and a let out an ear splitting scream. The man began smoking from his skin and he bolted helpless around the alley. His eyes turned white and where soon replaced by flame. Fire came out of his nostrils and he choked as he tried to breathe. Flames began to leak out of his pores and by this time, mustache man fell to the floor silent.

Loke stared in horror as the guy burned alive. The pink haired man had yet moved but seemed to be controlling everything with his eyes. The fire lifted the man into the air and started to burn very fast until his ashes were beneath the flames. Slowly the fire stretched out to a very thin line again. It turned its attention towards the man with the bushy eyebrows. The man was sweating, crying, and probably peeing his pants in fear. Instead of entering the man through his mouth, the fire circled his wrist. A few of the hairs were singed but the tip pressed down against the vein until it burned, blistered, and ruptured open. The wound began to bleed and the fire began to eat up the drops. It then stretched itself thinner and dove into the vein.

This man, however, did not scream. There was pain, lots of pain, but the guy seemed frozen from shock. The fire ran through every artery, vein, and capillary in his body; soaking up every drop of blood until the man's corpse was nothing but a dehydrated shell of skin and bones. The fire exited out of the man's eyeball socket and headed back towards its owner. The pink haired man simply opened his mouth and inhaled everything. Afterwards he wiped his mouth with his arm as if he had finished a meal. His eyes then steeled over to the guy with the green eyes.

This guy seemed like he still had sense in him. Seeing his two companions be murdered in a grotesque fashion had almost sent him over the edge of insanity. He prepared himself for the same ending but he did not expect for the arsonist to walk over to him. If anything, he prayed he could go the same way because what he saw in that guy's eyes promised a fate even worse. The arsonist grabbed the guy's head and punched him in the chest with fire. The fire slowly entered his being and green eyes felt himself be incinerated. Good God he'll be dead in a few and get release from the pain. But as the minutes passed by, green eyes still felt every fiber of his being, being burning away.

Green eyes began to run around desperately trying to put out an imaginary fire. There were no flames on him but he could feel them as if they were.

The stranger approached Lucy and crouched right next to her. His eyes seemed to be going over her as if he was checking for injuries. He sighed and seemed defeated. He picked her up and made his way out of the alley.

Loke felt his body relax when the man left. The intense heat was gone too. Loke tried to will his body forward to follow the man and get Lucy back, but the only thing he was capable of right now was falling down to his knees. He stared at the ground with the images of the two corpses burned into his eye balls. The other man was running around aimlessly, voice growing hoarse from the screaming. Loke needed to get out of here, to calm down, to plan a way to get Lucy back. First, though, Loke wanted to get a drink. A strong drink, something to erase those images.

Yeah, a drink.

* * *

Natsu growled possessively as he walked down the street. This was utterly frustrating. He swore he wouldn't go running to Lucy. He had washed his hands of her. Let her go. Moved on. All that crap. But those thoughts just made him squeeze Lucy even tighter. Who was he? No it wasn't him. It was that damn dragon. He had to do something about it.

Natsu still felt the power stinging his fingertips. He hadn't done that spell in ages and his body was sore from it. It required extreme concentration. He had mastered it for the sole reason to not be helpless if he was ever restrained. A thousand years ago he was quite feared because he used it frequently with very deadly results. But he got bored of it. Destruction was a lot more fun and he resorted to using his destructive power on everything.

The fact that he reached towards the ancient spell irritated Natsu. Why didn't he destroy everything? How where these men special that they received such a special death?

One word. Or a person.

Lucy.

Those men had insulted Natsu by taking advantage of the blonde. Natsu growled again. The passerby's quickly scuttled out of his way. Maybe after he dropped her off he would cause destruction somewhere else.

With his brisk pace Natsu arrived at Lucy's apartment. He smelled the demon female inside and bared his fangs instinctively. No demon was his friend. He did not want to leave Lucy here but hadn't he told himself he wiped his hands cleans of her? With that thought, he jumped to her window and slid it open. He landed in her room without any trouble.

"She really should get that fixed." Natsu muttered under his breath, then shook his head once he realized what he said. He was done with her. This was the last time he was going to see her. He was going to make sure of it. Humans lived a short life. She would be gone in a blink of an eye and he could relax again.

The dragon demon laid the blonde in her bed. He crouched next to her and stared at her face. She breathed slowly. Her lips were slightly partly and he couldn't help but trace the outlines of them with his fingers. He then moved her hair out of her eyes. She was so peaceful. So calm. It calmed him. He could probably do this for hours.

Natsu breathed out a sigh of relief. They could've had such a beautiful life together. A strong future. She definitely would be fit to rule the world with him. The endless possibilities ran through his head. He could change her into a demon who would be respected. Nothing would stand in their way.

Possibilities. That's all they were. Natsu didn't give second chances. Not even to his mate. She would now have to live with the consequences.

"Just one…" Natsu mumbled to himself. He leaned forward and lightly grabbed her chin. His lips touched hers and he was overcome with emotion. She was his.

He pulled back and cracked his eyes open. She was still asleep. He smiled a little. A glorious future. They could've had that.

Natsu stood up. He hated dwelling on things that could never be. He looked at her one more time, making sure to engrave her into his memory. Because that's all she would ever be.

"Remember, you did this." Natsu whispered to her. Then he hightailed it out of there.

* * *

Natsu streaked through town until he reached the beach. He looked around and was satisfied to see no one was in sight. He braced himself and roared. The dragon responded immediately and tried to surface. Natsu pushed it down to his belly. The dragon would stop him from leaving. He needed to bind it. Yes he would be weaker without it but he still would be strong. And free.

Natsu needed absolute control over everything. His emotions. His heart. His feelings. He needed to become an effective killing machine. The dragon would not let that.

Natsu roared again and fell to his knees. The dragon was the other him. It was his instinct. To be binding him was painful. Fire started to spill out of Natsu mouth as he battled with it internally. The dragon would not give up without a fight but it was going to go down. The pink haired man fell to the sand and let out another roar with flames shooting out of his mouth. The flames started to appear at random on his body and Natsu gave another yell before chocking on the fire.

"GO DOWN" He yelled. Tears formed in his eyes as the dragon finally began giving up. Natsu felt his soul being torn in half. He heard the dragon's piercing cry and he began to shake. It hurt like hell and Natsu almost aborted the mission. But his objective was clear in his mind. The dragon had to go. He would release it again when the time came. When Lucy was gone.

The thought of Lucy sent Natsu in agony. The dragon gained some strength at the thought of his mate. Natsu exploded like a bomb. Fire raced down the beach. The sand burned hot and the roar from it was deafining. The shrubbery and trees behind him went in smoke. The immense heat rolled off of him and heated the nearby ocean water to boiling. Natsu clutched at his chest willing the pain to stop as the two halves of his soul held on by a strand.

Another wave of fire rolled off of him as it detached. Natsu howled in agony as the dragon, his best friend, disappeared into the darkness. He took quick shallow breathes and howled again.

Then it was gone.

Natsu laid there on the sand drenched in sweat. The fire calmed down on his body and he began to catch his breath. His chest felt hollow. He felt hollow. Two black stripes burned their way onto Natsu's cheeks. Ancient writing started to engrave on his skin. Arms. Legs. Chest. Torso. Back. It was riddled with ancient scripture. He scrunched his face at the pain but it was a small price to pay for what he had done.

He opened his eyes and hoisted himself up. He grabbed his chest again and was satisfied to find it empty. Natsu grinned menacingly.

Now _no one_ would be able to stop him.

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 **I hope you guys like it. Things are getting intense. Some of you might know whats going to happen in the next chapter. Don't worry, I'll be back next Monday! And thank you for you patience.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm** **sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. But honestly, I don't even have time to eat! I just accepted a new job at a vet hospital! If things work out the way I want to, I will be working two jobs till January 15, going tot school full time, and attempting to show my horses. Busy busy. But I do promise that I will keep updating. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Characters are not mine but the plot is.**

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Lucy struggled in her sleep. She couldn't remember much. Everything was hazy. Where was she? It was like the blonde was suspended in midair. It was uncomfortable. There was a nasty taste in her mouth and she tried to spit it out but her throat was dry and she choked on nothing.

Random images began to filter through her mind. The first time she fell off her bike. The time her dad scolded her when she got a bad grade. Prom night. The lecture from freshman year in college. Loke accepting the host job. Natsu saving her from the first vampire attack.

Did these images mean something? Was her brain trying to tell her something. Home. Lucy wanted to go home. Forget all these images.

Then warmth came over her. It was familiar and Lucy couldn't help but relax. This is how it should be. This felt like home.

* * *

Lucy slowly opened her eyes. A dull pain in her head made her groan and she squeezed her eyes shut. How much did she drink last night? Too much. Water. Lucy wanted water. Her mouth was dryer than the Sahara Desert. Lucy groaned again. She cracked an eye open and noticed a half empty water bottle sitting on the night stand. She must have left it there the other day.

She rolled over on her stomach and sat up with shaky arms. She leaned over and grabbed the bottle. Quickly she downed it but it didn't help her much. To make matters worse her stomach didn't agree with the quantity of water and it sent Lucy to the bathroom. She heaved until only stomach acid came up.

"Ugh. I'm not drinking for a while." Lucy muttered under her breath after rinsing her mouth. The blonde blinked a couple of times before realizing where she was. She was at home. Home! How did she get here? Wait. Lucy though hard on what happened last night. She was dancing with someone and then nothing.

Wanting answers, Lucy went back into her room and searched for her phone. Cana should know what happened. Most likely she was the one who took her home. Strange. Usually Cana would dump her sorry ass on the couch. To top it off her phone was nowhere in sight. This was frustrating. Lucy was not this clumsy. Was Lisanna home? Maybe she would know what happened.

"Lisanna" Lucy yelled from her room as she walked out. The white haired demon was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee.

"You're up" Lisanna state while calmly taking a sip of her coffee. Lucy plopped down on the chair and sighed. Her head in her arms.

"You're playing a dangerous game Lucy."

"What are you talking about?" Lucy mumbled, instantly sitting up and tensing. Her headache seemed to get worse. Hangovers were the worst. Maybe she would take nap after this.

"I'm talking about Natsu."

The mention of his name caught Lucy thinking about him. Would it be so bad if she gave him a chance? For some reason she was beginning to have a longing for him.

"What about him?"

"He's not just your problem, he's everybody's problem." Lisanna clicked her tongue and tightened her grip on her mug.

The pounding in her head got worse as she got annoyed. Would it hurt for people to let her deal with her love life?

"Look I don't know how Natsu is related to your world but I am not part of your world. Whatever Natsu and I decide is between us."

"Dammit Lucy!" Lisanna smashed her fist on the table. Her fangs bared as the demon stood up. Lucy instantly began to feel afraid. Her instinct made her reach out to Natsu. As a human she was no match for Lisanna.

"You have no idea the position you are in. Once Natsu took claim of you, _you_ became part of our world. You have no say so in it."

"But—"

"No. I'm not hearing it." Lisanna turned and left through the front door. Lucy just stared at the empty seat. And then she burst into tears.

* * *

Lucy decided to take bath to calm herself. She couldn't help but think what would happen to her. The future seemed so muddled. Ever since she got saved by Natsu everything had been turned upside down. Nothing was clear anymore. Education seemed to be last thing on Lucy's mind. She even wondered if she would graduate. Or finish out the current semester. It was time to let go of her 4.0 GPA. Damn. She worked hard for it.

Speaking of letting go, there was another big thorn in her side. Her love life. Loke was supposed to be the one she settled down with. But ever since Natsu came barreling into her life, she wasn't so sure anymore. To make matters worse, Loke has been distant lately. The conversations with Cana and Lisanna came into her head. Maybe it was time to move on. The thought of having a chance with Natsu warmed Lucy a little and she was surprised to find her thoughts clearer.

Natsu. How would it feel to be his? Her heart fluttered at the thought. She buried her face in her hands in embarrassment.

It would be hard breaking it off with Loke but it was the right thing to do. Their lives were different now. And she was pretty sure they had different goals now.

Natsu. She couldn't wait to see him again.

* * *

After her bath Lucy headed off to Cana's. Hoping and praying that the brunette had her stuff. Afterwards she planned on visiting Loke. The faster she broke it off, the less guilty she would feel. Never in her life did she ever think she was going to leave a man for another. But this was the right choice.

It didn't take her long to get to her best friend's door. But it did take a few moments for her to knock. Lucy had no recollection of the night before and was a little frightened to learn of the details. The last time she got blacked out drunk ended in a bar fight. Mustering up the courage Lucy knocked on the door.

No answer. Lucy knocked harder. Still no answer.

"Cana it's me, open up!" Lucy yelled through the door. It was rare for Cana to have a hangover. Maybe she was sleeping in? "Cana I'm coming in"

Lucy turned the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked. Walking in she saw no sign of the brunette on the couch. Usually that's where Lucy always found her after a night of drinking. Tip toeing as quiet as possible she made it to Cana's room. Only to shriek and run back to the living room.

Cana was not alone. She was happily sprawled over Bacchus. Naked.

"Lucy!" Cana scrambled to get under the covers while Bacchus just yawned lazily and wondered what all the commotion was about.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" Lucy repeated as she held her hands over her eyes. Even though she was in living room she was too afraid to open them.

"Lucy," Cana emerged from her bedroom clothed in her pajamas. Her face red out of embarrassment. Lucy looked through her fingers and sighed to see Cana fully clothed. She'd seen Cana naked plenty of times but this was the first time she walked in on her with a guy.

"Well didn't someone have a great night last night" Lucy said with a gleam in her eye.

"Seemed like you did too. Where did you go? Loke looked pretty shaken when he came back"

"Loke?"

"Yeah, he came to the club about fifteen minutes after you disappeared with that guy"

"I did?"

"Yeah you took off pretty fast."

Lucy thought hard, but had no recollection, "I honestly don't remember. I must have drunk too much" Her head pounded in agreement

"Anyway, I have some news." Lucy said as she sat up. Her friend was going to go berserk,

"Yes?" Cana replied as she went into the kitchen to get some coffee going.

"I've decided to do it."

Cana dropped the filter she was holding and eyes went wide, "You what?!"

"I choose Natsu."

"You. What. Loke? That's amazing!" Cana sputtered out. She ran over and gave her friend a big hug. "Oh my God! What made you change your mind?"

"Well, truthfully, my life is a mess. And every time I think about Natsu… well… I don't know how explain it. It just seems right." Lucy sighed wistfully. Yeah it was right. Saying it aloud reinforced her decision.

"What about Loke?"

"Yeah, ummm, I don't know how he will take it. But I want to do it today. Because if I procrastinate it's never going to happen until one of us gets hurt."

Cana stood up and went back to making coffee. Even though she knew her best friend was making the best decision, the outcome worried her. It was like, how do you tell your boyfriend of two years that you wanted to break up with no good reason. It wouldn't take long for him to figure out it was for another man. Even though Cana never met Natsu, she knew that Natsu would be good to her. Even if it was a different world.

"How are you going to go about it?"

"I don't know, I keep thinking and I can't come up with anything. I can't be like 'Oh hey Loke I found someone better so I will be going with him.' He'll more than likely kill me and well get into an argument and then who knows what. I don't know." Lucy blew her bangs out of her eyes and then groaned into her hands out of frustration. Seriously, what was she going to do?

"Don't tell him the truth. Just tell him you don't feel the relationship anymore. I mean it's true isn't it? You guys never hang out anymore. He's constantly working at the host job. And when things go south, it doesn't seem like he's there for you."

"You have a point."

"Just call me if you need me. I'll be over there faster than you can hang the phone up." Cana winked at her.

"By the way do you have my stuff?"

"I have your wallet but that's about it." Cana went to fetch it.

"Shit. I lost my phone. Ugh, what else can happen?"

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it. I feel like the tone was off though. Anyways, I swear there will be an update on Wednesday. Yes this Wednesday. In two days time. Lol. I have the chapter half done. Let me know what you think.**


	14. Chapter 14

**The chapter most of you have been waiting for!**

* * *

It was now or never. She left Cana's reluctantly and headed towards the bus station. She would love to own a car but her finances constantly reminded her that it was nowhere in the near future. Maybe not even in the distant future.

She had chatted awhile with Cana after her confession but not about anything important. She did interrogate her about Bacchus and Cana finally spilled that they were dating. Officially. Good for her. It's been years since Cana had a boyfriend. Hopefully they could go on double dates.

The bus ride to Loke's was uneventful and her nerves kept her on edge. She still didn't know how to approach the breakup. It was reckless to go without a plan but she didn't want to procrastinate.

Where was life going to take her after this? All her future plans were basically thrown out the window. She didn't have the motivation to finish the semester or the motivation to keep working at her current job. Maybe this was depression talking or maybe she reached a mid-life crisis earlier than normal. There was only one goal in her mind lately and that had to do with a particular fire breathing demon.

Walking up to Loke's apartment, Lucy felt like she was going to have a panic attack. She was beginning to have second thoughts about the break up but shook them away before they rooted deep into her mind.

"Here we go" she muttered under her breath.

The first thing she heard when she approached the door were voices. And not just any voices, a female voice. Completely forgetting about why she came Lucy barged through the door.

To her utter dismay there was a woman in Loke's apartment. And there was no way he could pass her off as a 'friend' or family member. She was dressed in scanty clad lingerie and her hand was gingerly placed on Loke's shoulder. Both parties stared at her in shock with their mouths hanging.

" _What the fuck!"_ Lucy screeched. There were so many thoughts going through her mind that she didn't even know what to do.

"Lucy this isn't what it looks like!" Loke instantly shook off the woman's hand and walked over to his girlfriend. He tried grabbing her hand but she just shook him off.

" _Excuse you?!"_ Fuck fuck fuck. What was happening? Angry tears spilled down Lucy's eyes and the sting of betrayal threatened to concave her chest.

"How long? How fucking long you fucking bastard!" Lucy went at him, hitting him with her fists. She nailed him pretty good in the face before Loke grabbed her wrists and attempted to calm her down.

"Let me go! Get your hands off of me!"

"Lucy, babe, calm down."

"NO! How could you! I trusted you!" Lucy wailed. Never did she expect his. Never. This was not how it was supposed to end. Instead of proudly ending this relationship, she was going to be seen as the victim. All her doubts and concerns that she had in the past hit her like a brick. Lucy stopped hitting Loke and fell down to her knees, crying into her hands. All those times she thought Loke was cheating were true. What about his job? How many times did he use that as an excuse to see this woman? How long was she being humiliated?

Loke stood over his girlfriend, completely at a loss on what to do. He didn't want her to find out like this. He didn't expect this. He looked at the woman and waved her to leave. She eyed the two before reluctantly getting her robe and heading for the door.

"You don't need to leave; I was on my way out anyway." Lucy hiccupped angrily through her tears. Lucy got up and headed towards the door.

"Babe no. We need to talk!"

"No. I have nothing to say to you. We're definitely over!"

"Stop" Loke grabbed her arm and pulled her the other direction. Lucy lost her balance and crashed into his chest, "We need to talk about this."

Lucy slapped him across the face,

"Eat shit fucker"

Loke released her in shock and watched her flee his room. He then looked to his shelf where Lucy's phone lay.

"Loke?" the woman behind him spoke up.

"Fuck"

* * *

Lucy walked at a brisk pace with tears still falling down her face. She still had no idea what happened. How did this even happen?! Wasn't she a good girlfriend? What did she do wrong? Who was to blame?! Why?

She was a fool. She should have seen the signs. Should have trusted her gut instinct. Then all of this could be avoided. Lucy reached a bench at a nearby park and sat down. Her hands limply rested in lap as she stared blankly into space.

What was Lucy doing at Loke's in the first place? She was there to break up with him. She was there to break up with him to be with Natsu. She had rejected Natsu for Loke. Excruciating pain filled Lucy as her heart broke even more. She began to hyperventilate as she became hysterical. She let her panic attack take over. She rejected Natsu. _Rejected_ Natsu for the low life scum who was unfaithful to her. Now he was gone. To God only knows where.

Lucy put her hands to her ears and screamed. It was over. She had lost. She gambled on love and lost. Who knew if Natsu would even forgive her. She was delusional in the first place, thinking everything would work out in the end. What was she going to do? She screamed again.

She could have had him. He could have been hers. She would have been safe. She remembered his eyes, determined and proud. They promised Lucy a future of happiness. But she denied him, threw him away like a pile of yesterday's garbage. The frustration, the regret, the pain; it ripped through Lucy.

"Lucy! Lucy!" someone shouted as they shook her shoulders. Lucy ignored them. She didn't even know who it was. She didn't care. She just wanted the pain to stop. Her body was overheating and becoming dehydrated fast. Her chest was going to explode. She was going to puke her heart out. Everything hurt. So when the darkness came, Lucy gladly accepted it. She hoped she wasn't going to come back.

* * *

When Lucy came back too, she felt as if a ton of bricks lived on her chest. She slowly sat up in bed and blankly looked at her surroundings. She was back in Loke's apartment. She didn't care. She laid back down and pulled the covers over her head, not ready to face reality.

* * *

"Lucy, Lucy" somebody was shaking her awake, "You need to wake up."

Lucy just groaned in her sleep and turned around in her sleep.

"Lucy, you need water. Drink and you can go back to sleep."

The blonde cracked an eye open to see Loke holding a glass of water in his hand. She hesitantly sat up and took the offered water. She didn't look at him, instead opting to stare at the blanket. She took small sips of the water. Her eyes hurt and felt like they were going to pop out of her skull. Things were messed up.

"Drink all of it and then you can go back to sleep." Loke muttered, concern laced in his words. Lucy finished off the glass and then promptly went back to sleep. Not yet. Reality could wait.

* * *

The next time Lucy awoke, she knew she needed to get up. It took a lot of will power for Lucy to get out of bed and head towards the bathroom. After she flushed the toilet, Lucy looked in the mirror. A girl she didn't recognized looked back at her. Her eyes were red and she had deep dark bags under eyes. Her face was pale and it looked like she lost a little bit of weight. Her hand touched her face and she wondered what was going to happen next. Was she strong enough to move on? To live a loveless life? There's was no way she could ever get past Natsu. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of her predicament.

She didn't hear the front door open as Loke came back from wherever he went.

"Lucy?" Loke's panicked voice filled the apartment but Lucy didn't hear him. She wiped the tears away with her hand to make room for more. Then Loke came into the bathroom and wrapped her in his arms. Feeling human contact Lucy broke on Loke's chest.

Loke squeezed Lucy tighter as his own tears made their way down his face. This was his fault. He never meant to hurt Lucy like this. He loved Lucy. He had hoped to marry her in the future. But he knew that dream was over. Once he became unfaithful he knew it was never going to happen. He regretted it so bad.

"I'm sorry Lucy. I'm so sorry." Loke buried his face in her hair and wept.

When they broke apart, it was bittersweet. Lucy refused to look at him. Loke said nothing as she moved past him and went into the living room. Lucy spotted her phone and made her way to it. She had missed calls and texts from her job, Lisanna, Cana, and Levy. The date also read that she had slept for three days. Was that it? Why not an eternity? That way she didn't have to face her problems.

She looked over her shoulder and found Loke staring at her. He looked broken. She saw the remorse on his face.

"Lucy…"

"I need time. Maybe then we can see if anything can be salvaged." Lucy replied. Even though she lost him as a boyfriend, she didn't want to lose him as a friend. She hated to admit it, but she still loved him and maybe one day they could be friends. But today was not the day. They locked eyes and an unspoken message passed between them. Then she left.

* * *

Natsu dragged himself onto the shore of Spain. He had swum the entire length of the Atlantic Ocean. The task was draining and he crashed onto the sand and turned over to his back. He hated getting on any type of vehicle especially a plane. The claustrophobia would sweep over him and he would more than likely to destroy it. Falling from such a distance was not pleasant.

He took deep breaths and stared at the night sky. Now that he made it to Europe her could rest. Binding the dragon and swimming the ocean had nearly depleted his energy reserves. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

 **How many of you saw that coming? Anyways Chapter 15 is in the works. Ill be either updating on Friday or Monday. Ill be working towards Friday though. Thank you everybody that reviewed/favorited/followed.**

 **Stay Tuned!**


	15. Chapter 15

**For those of you wondering why I've been updating so much. I'm behind several chapters since my wedding and I really want to catch up. So I will be updating every chance I get until I'm caught up. I believe it will only take me 2-3 weeks to catch up. I should be at Ch. 22 or 23 right now.**

* * *

Instead of going home Lucy went to the beach. She needed fresh air to clear her mind. Her stomach growled but she ignored it. To her surprise she found the beach closed off. It looked like someone lit off an explosive. The trees were burned and the sand was black. Intense heat still radiated from the area and Lucy saw a couple of scientist examining the area and doing tests. Not thinking much about it she headed towards the pier which was still open.

The ocean breeze felt nice as she walked on the board planks. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore let Lucy relax. Once she reached the end, she leaned against the rail and stared out towards the blue water.

So much had happened in a span of a week. It felt like years had gone by instead of seven days. There was so much to do, yet she wanted to lock herself in her room and never come out. Lucy pulled her phone out and texted Cana.

'Meet me at the pier.'

A second later Cana had replied.

'Omw'

Lucy looked gratefully at her phone before sliding it back into her pocket. She didn't dare to think about the pink haired man but instead thought of school. Was it even worth it? If she was smart, she would drop all her classes. She was far enough into the semester where she could get a W on her transcripts. And when her life got put back together she could go back. That sounded good.

For some reason, her thoughts turned to her mother. She died when Lucy was young but she still remembered her. Would she be proud of Lucy? Or disappointed in her? Her father and her drifted apart and now she knew nothing of his whereabouts. She had no family and no place to call home. Lucy wished she was still alive.

"Lucy!" a voice yelled behind her. Lucy turned around and saw Cana waiving at her. The brunette ran over and crashed into Lucy with a hug. The blonde did not respond, instead letting the girl do her thing.

"I was so worried" Cana hiccupped through some tears, "I heard what happened. I tried to come see you but Loke wouldn't let me."

Cana pulled away and wiped her tears. Lucy turned back to the ocean, not having the strength to comment. She leaned on her hand and let the breeze tangle her hair. Cana stood beside her giving her mental support. After a stretch of silence, Lucy finally spoke up,

"Want to hear something messed up." Lucy laughed out of stress, "I'm broken about the fact that I lost Natsu instead of losing Loke."

"Sure I was mad about finding Loke with another woman, but it only broke me when I realized I rejected Natsu for nothing."

"I could have had him. I should have taken his hand."

"It's all a mess now. I don't know what to do."

Cana kept silent letting Lucy vent her feelings. It was so much to take in. If she knew her best friend was going to be hurt this bad, then she would have forced Loke to break up with her ages ago. She saw this coming months in advance yet she didn't want Lucy hurt.

"Cana what do I do?" Lucy turned to her for advice. Cana hesitated.

"I think you should find Natsu."

"He won't have me."

"You won't know unless you try"

"He was so angry," Tears began to well up in Lucy's eyes as she thought about the last time she saw him, "I've never seen someone so angry."

"People do crazy things when they are in love. And if Natsu said you were his mate, then I know he will forgive you."

"How come you've accepted all this so easily. The demons? The magic? The unexplainable situations? How? Why?" Lucy hiccupped through her tears.

"I know you would never lie to me. I love you. I'd do anything for you. Even if that means believing in supernatural things."

The two girls looked at each other before throwing their arms around each other for comfort. Lucy felt better for now. Maybe it was worth a shot to find the pink haired man. Cana could be right. Love could prevail.

"Now how about we go back to my place and have a Supernatural marathon coupled with ben and jerry's" Cana smiled

"You know me so well." Lucy laughed and wiped away her tears.

* * *

"It's not my fault you don't like my ice cream." Cana blew her bangs out of her face.

"Cherry Garcia? Really? How long have you known me?" Lucy exasperated as she studied the selection through the freezer.

"One day you'll find the appeal to Cherry Garcia. I don't know how we've stayed friends for so long."

"You love me" Lucy stuck her tongue out at Cana.

"Hurry it up. Times a wasting."

"Hold your horses."

"Just pick out any ice cream. Look there's chocolate chip. Lets go. We could've been three episodes in"

Lucy gave Cana a pointed blank stare then looked back at the freezer. Chocolate chip did sound good but so did mint chip, chocolate fudge, and strawberry. Lucy wanted the correct ice cream to drown her sorrows. Especially since they'd be watching Supernatural.

Speaking of Supernatural, what other myths existed in the world. Demons apparently did. So did vampires. That must mean werewolves were also out there. How about mermaids? Lucy hoped there were. She liked mermaids.

The bell to the 7-11 chimed as two girls entered but Lucy paid no attention to them. She was happily juggling which ice cream would taste best right now when a part of their conversation caught her attention.

"—found out. He's been telling me for months that he was going to break it off with her. I'm happy she finally found out. Now I can have him all to myself. Sheesh I saw her for the first time the other day. She had nothing going for her. I wonder what he saw in her in the first place."

Lucy stiffened

"At least she out of the picture now."

Lucy grabbed Cana and ducked behind the aisle.

"Lucy—!?" The blonde slapped a hand over Cana's mouth and motioned her to be quite. Cana looked wild eyed. Lucy motioned to where the voices where coming from and slowly peaked over the chips.

Standing there was the woman Loke had an affair with. Lucy squinted and silently judged her. The woman had long green hair and brown eyes. Her skin was fair and void of any blemishes. Lucy gritted her teeth in annoyance. She felt a couple tears prick her eyes but she pushed them down.

"You should've seen her face! It was priceless." The woman laughed. Lucy felt anger build up in her. "Seriously I'm so glad Loke is all mine. I just hope she doesn't try to come back into the picture."

"You can have him." Lucy stood up, her hands balled up into fists. They itched to leave a mark on her flawless face. Cana stood up with her and proceeded to glare daggers at the two women.

"You!" The woman looked shell shocked but then regained her composure. She crossed her arms and smirked, "Look what the cat dragged in"

"You're a bitch for relishing in other people misery." Lucy spat out. Disgust laced into her words. The need to gouge her eyes out was strong.

"You? Miserable? What about me? I haven't been able to do anything with Loke because of you. Have you thought about how miserable I've been because he's always choosing you over me?" The woman gestured wildly between the two of them.

"Then do go stealing other people's men and you won't have that problem" Lucy crossed her arms.

"Loke's the one who approached me."

"You probably threw yourself at him."

"Whatever the reason is, he's mine now."

"Go ahead and have him. I have someone better" Lucy bit her tongue at the outburst. She shouldn't have said that.

"Oh?" the woman cocked an eyebrow, interested at the new piece of information. "Here I thought you were the victim. Seems like Loke is the one who got lied to."

"I've never done anything as low as what Loke did." Lucy's voice dropped. Worried and irritated at where the conversation was going.

"Oh really? If my logic is correct, you've only been single for, what, three days? And now you're standing in front of me saying that you have someone better? I'd say Loke is not the only one in the wrong over here." The woman slowly sauntered over to Lucy with menacing eyes. Lucy gulped but still stood her ground.

"I wonder how Loke will take this new piece of information. And he's been so distraught because he thinks he's hurt you." The woman grabbed her own face and pretended to cry but then glared at Lucy, "How dare you blame everything on Loke when you two timed him yourself."

"Lucy did no such thing!" Cana retorted and stepped up to stand beside Lucy.

"Who is this guy that's supposedly better than my Loke? Maybe if he's better I should swipe him off your hands as well."

Lucy's fist connected with her jaw before Lucy knew what was happening. There was only rage.

"Fuck off you cunt! I'd like to see you fucking _try_ to get Natsu. I fucking _dare_ you!"

The woman lost her balance and crashed onto the floor. She looked a little bewildered as she touched her cheek. Rage consumed her face and she went to retaliate.

"You _bitch_!"

Lucy dodged the first hit but the second punch got her on the side of the face. She yelped in pain before lunging towards the girl and both of them went crashing to the floor. Cana was behind her attempting to pull her off. The woman's friend was screaming for them to stop but made no attempt to help Cana.

"Lucy stop! She's not worth it." Cana desperately tried to stop the fight but only crashed into the isle when Lucy shook her off. The woman pulled Lucy's hair and succeeded in pushing Lucy to the floor before landing another punch to her face. Lucy kneed her in the back and elbowed her in the stomach. Lucy pushed the woman off of her and stood up. She was about to kick her in the torso when someone else crashed into her.

She landed on the side when a gruff voice told her to cut it out and Lucy froze immediately. She was flipped over onto her back.

"You have the right to remain silent." Lucy looked to the side and saw it was a police officer. There was another one arresting the woman. Cana had her eyes closed, shaking her head at the situation. The store owner was behind the register angrily yelling at the woman's friend. Around her were various chip bags scattered on the ground from their altercation.

Great. Perfect. Fanfuckingtastic. This is exactly what Lucy needed. Not. So much for a Supernatural marathon. And Ben and Jerry's.

* * *

 **Are you guys still enjoying this story? Or is my writing going down hill? I'm trying my best to keep the tone consistent and the story interesting. I know where its going to end up. Nevertheless, I accept suggestions**!


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry guys. Life just happens. I'm trying my best.**

* * *

"Lucy Hearfilia. Karen Lilica."

Lucy found herself in the interrogation room of the police station. She attempted to cross her arms but the handcuffs were in the way. She slouched in annoyance. How did she end up in this situation? Her stupid jealousy. Oh and not over her ex-boyfriend whose mistress was sitting right next to her. No. It was over a fire freak that had washed his hands over her. Seriously what was she thinking. She wasn't. And now she prayed to the Gods it wouldn't end up on her record.

"May I ask why we had to pull you guys apart at a local convenience store? The store owner was lucky we were walking by."

Lucy pursed her lips and refused to answer. Whereas Karen nonchalantly inspected her nails. Lucy noticed a couple of bruises forming on her face and smirked. That bitch deserved them.

"Your face looks just as bad if not worse." Karen retorted

"I doubt that."

"Ladies!"

"I want my lawyer!" Karen shouted, "I'm suing for damages and harassment!"

"You provoked me! I'll sue you first" Lucy went to stand up

"Sit down Hearfilia!" The officer yelled. Lucy immediately occupied her chair again. She clinked her handcuffs together in irritation.

"Put them away. Separate cells." The officer ordered. Two more officers entered the room and led the two girls away. The chief took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Lucy tried to make herself comfortable on the stone bench. Her wrists were a little chafed and she gingerly rubbed them. Karen. So that's her name. She hated her.

What now? How was this situation going to end? She threw the first punch so she was at fault. If Karen really did sue her then Lucy was done for. She had no money and if she had aggravated assault on her record then she could kiss any decent job goodbye. Maybe she needed to pull her big girl pants on and apologize. If the law was not involved there wouldn't be a chance in hell she would apologize.

Was it so hard to ask for one normal day? Or anything to go in her favor? Lucy buried her face in her hands and sighed.

Lucy had never been in jail, or even visited a police headquarters. The only experience she had with the law was from CSI and Law and Order. From the furnishings of the cell, the blonde deduced she was in a holding cell. There was a toilet in the corner and the concrete bench she was sitting on. The cell itself was small, probably measuring ten by ten and Lucy felt an inkling of claustrophobia set in. Though this was much better than the time she was abducted last week. Here she had rights and the death penalty was certainly not an option.

If Natsu was around she was sure he would barge through the place and pluck her out of this predicament. The thought made her look through the bars for any upcoming destruction. After a few minutes Lucy banged her head on the wall. That was a stupid thought. _If_ the pink haired man was around, the chances of Lucy sitting here in jail were in slim to none. Because she would not be at a 7/11 buying ice cream. And there would be no encounter with Karen.

It did feel good bashing Karen's face in and surprisingly it relieved a lot stress. Though maybe next time a punching bag would be more practical so she wouldn't have to end up sitting in such a depressing place.

On the walls of the cell were numerous posters for lawyers. Lucy was still allowed one phone call but she refused because Cana knew where she was. There was no one else Lucy could call. The officer mentioned in passing that it would be smart to hire a lawyer. Looking closer at the posters, the prices for lawyers were based on income.

Lucy got up and studied the prices and let out a sigh. She barely made enough money to not qualify for a good lawyer. Didn't these offices know the cost of living? Figures even lawyers wanted to suck you dry.

A couple of hours went by for Lucy and she longed for her bed. The clock on the wall read 11 pm; way past her bedtime. She sighed heavily before trying to fall asleep. No luck. The officer told her that she could be sitting in the cell up to 3 days before a judge would see her. It was Wednesday night so hopefully tomorrow she could go home.

"Heartfilia" a voice from outside the cell brought Lucy from her thoughts, "Hands through here"

The officer pointed to slot between the bars. The slot was used to take off and put on handcuffs. Lucy tiredly got up and pushed her arms through. She had no idea why they wanted keep her handcuffed. Apparently all aggravated assault cases required handcuffs.

The officer unlocked the cell and let her back to the interrogation room. This time she was alone. Lucy sat down on the metal chair and the officer sat down opposite of her.

"Karen Lilica has agreed to drop the charges on the condition that you apologize."

"Huh?" Lucy looked a little bewildered. Have charges dropped? Just like that? Lucy swallowed before nodding her head yes. It was worth sacrificing your pride for a clean record.

"Bring her in" the officer said.

A few moments later the door opened and Karen walked in. Lucy stood up and fidgeted with the handcuffs. Lucy looked up and stared Karen straight in the eyes.

"I'm sorry!" Lucy said a little too loudly.

"Hmph." Karen lifted her nose in the air for a show of dominance. Lucy bit her lip in annoyance, "Fine I accept"

Lucy let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Alright ladies, there is some paperwork and then you will be free to go."

* * *

It was almost midnight when Natsu found the entrance to a catacomb in Paris. The location was beneath the Eiffel Tower and he had a hell of a time trying to get to it. A millennia of civilization had sealed the grave site off. It had taken the dragon demon several days to find a way inside. In the end he had to dig his way through.

Natsu lit the two torches mounted on each side of the stone wall. The wall in front of him stood immaculate, completely void from the abuse of time. The skulls and bones he had neatly arranged to decorate the wall were still fresh from being dismantled and gored. They had been placed in a circular pattern with an emblem of a dragon in the middle. Words from a different time were etched at the top, displaying a gruesome warning to those who could decipher it.

The last time the dragon demon had been here was over a millennium ago. At that time, he was sure he would not see this wall again for thousands of years. He scratched his head and blew out a wisp of fire. It was going to be now or never.

Natsu lit his fist on fire and punched the emblem of the dragon square on. The wall trembled under the force but did not shatter. Natsu grimaced and punched the emblem again with a hotter flame. This time a visible crack appeared on the emblem and Natsu smiled. He took a breath of air and let out a thick stream of fire. The crack began to grow and split off until the wall could not bear its own weight and came down crumbling at Natsu's feet.

The torches burnt out from the cold, stale air that blew out of the catacomb. Natsu crouched in response and growled. His eyes searched the darkness for any type of movement. Natsu blinked and his eyes glowed bright crimson allowing him night vision. He did not dare light a fire.

Slowly Natsu made his way into the chambers. His jaw was clenched and his hands were balled into fists, ready for any attack coming his way. The chamber was a maze, built for endless wandering but it also meant that it would take some time to find him. Everything was quite. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears and the rhythm of his blood flowing through his veins. He tried to stretch his ears to search for a second heartbeat but he was only met with his own.

There. He heard it. Blinking. Natsu froze and counted. After a few moments he heard blinking again. Natsu slowly pivoted towards the direction of the sound and squinted to make anything out. Natsu's vision was good and he searched the whole area for any signs of life. There was none. His ears had deceived him.

A rush of wind followed by a body sent Natsu flying to the ground. Natsu roared and began clawing at the man who had tackled him. The man growled and grabbed Natsu's face and bashed it into stone floor. He did not let go but dug his nails into the dragon demons skin and bashed his skull into the stone floor again.

Natsu roared again but was too dazed to react properly. The man growled in his ear before biting into Natsu's neck. Natsu grabbed the man's hair and pulled. Nothing. The man was latched on to Natsu with his fangs. Natsu tried to kick him but the man was straddling him and his foot only met stale air. Natsu lit himself on fire in order to push the man off. Instead the man bit down harder and sucked the blood out of him faster.

Natsu felt his mind slipping and in return his flames began to disappear. He kept on thrashing but the man's body was lead and Natsu did not have the strength to move him. There was a reason why the catacomb was so deep underground. It was a prevention tactic so that Natsu did not use his dragon to fight off the man. It didn't matter anyway since the dragon was bound.

"That's enough Zeref." Natsu grumbled in frustration. He expected this. Even prepared for it. But the power of death magic was overwhelming him. It tickled the chains on his instinct. Zeref took one last gulp before pulling off of Natsu.

"Weak" Zeref replied. He got up from Natsu and stepped away. Natsu sat up and held his bleeding neck. He was getting cold and shivered slightly.

"Fuck. You took too much." Natsu replied and attempted to generate body heat. His flames flicked over on his body before dying out. Zeref not only took his blood but also his fire. Zeref walked over and grabbed Natsu's hair and dragged him to eye level. He inspected the markings on his face before yanking the cloak off and stared at the ancient scripture on his body.

"How am I supposed to work with this!?" Zeref bellowed before throwing Natsu across the room. The dragon demon crashed into the wall. Natsu groaned and lifted himself from rubble. He expected this.

" _This_ is not something you should be concerned about." Natsu said while coughing "I don't need my dragon to overwhelm this world."

"That's not for you to decide. You're weak! I tasted it. Once we surface from this god awful place you will release him."

"No"

Zeref appeared before Natsu's eyes in an instant. Zeref grabbed Natsu's face and slammed him down into the ground. "You dare to defy me?"

Zeref dug his nails into Natsu's skin and blood began to stream down. Natsu roared and attempted to get free. His thoughts raced as he tried to come up with a solution to stay alive. He'd lost so much blood already, anymore and his instinct will take over. The dragon would sense the end and go berserk. He could not let that happen. It would take centuries for him to regain human form if that happened.

"I killed her." Natsu uttered.

"I don't care who you killed. You still answer to me."

"Yes you do. You killed Mavis. I killed Lucy."

The hand disappeared on Natsu face and the man instantly sat up. He felt himself shiver continuously as the cold penetrated his core. Damn. Was this how humans felt all the time? No thank you.

"Mavis…" Zeref muttered, completely lost in his mind. Natsu stared at the black demon and silently thanked himself for detaching from Lucy. Love was painful. He watched Zeref destroy himself over it. Mavis was a fairy and Zeref's mate. Somehow the demon had let his guard down and let the fairy into his heart. But in the end she stood in the way of his goals and Zeref decided to destroy her. It was one of the reasons why Natsu had sealed him in the catacomb.

Lucy was dead to him. He had no interest in seeing her. Once she really did die then he could think about becoming free again.

"You did the right thing" Zeref finally spoke, "Ill revise my plans. I'm assuming that everything is in place?"

"Yes"

"How soon can we start?"

At that comment Natsu smiled wickedly. He felt his heart beat faster and his fire regenerate. Clenching his hand, flames engulfed his fist.

"Now"

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed it.**


	17. Chapter 17

Things were a mess. It was barely 3 am and Lucy wanted to go to bed. She didn't want to go home though. Lisanna was probably still there and it was the last person Lucy wanted to encounter. Who knew what happened the last couple of days. The world could have ended and it would be her fault. Lucy did the only thing she knew she could, she went to Cana's.

"Whats the plan now?" Cana asked with a spoonful of yogurt in her mouth.

"Plan has never changed." Lucy replied, "Find Natsu, grovel, live happily ever after."

"I like the groveling part."

Lucy threw a pillow at her, "Of course you would."

"No, but seriously, how are you going to find Natsu? Do you have his phone number?"

The thought of Natsu owning a cell phone earned a giggle from Lucy. She could just see him incinerating the phone from his frustration.

"I don't think he has a phone."

"Shit. Now what." Cana took another spoonful of yogurt. Her mind was turning gears but she could come up with nothing, "You're screwed."

Lucy threw a pointed glare towards the brunette, "Not helping."

Cana shrugged her shoulders.

"I bet Lisanna would know." Lucy grimaced. The last thing she wanted was to ask a favor from the she-demon.

"Great! Go ask her."

"We're not exactly on the best of terms." Lucy looked to the side.

"Whats more important? You're pride? Or Natsu?"

"I hate you."

* * *

"What did you do!" Lisanna slapped Lucy across the face. Lucy reeled back in shock. This definitely was not what she was expecting. She touched her stinging cheek and looked bewildered at Lisanna. The girl had tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Lisanna what are you doing!" A woman who looked like Lisanna came out of the kitchen. She was wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. The woman had a dark aura around her and it made Lucy catch her breath.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked. She felt very out of place here.

"I'm Mira-Jane, Lisanna's older sister."

"Are you…"

"Yes I am a demon."

Lucy mouth went into the shape of an o.

"Its her fault! All her fault!" Lisanna cried out. Her face was obstructed by her hands. Dread filled Lucy.

"I don't understand" Lucy fidgeted with her hands while backing away a little bit. Fear shook her a little bit. Something had happened. What happened.

"According to you, you're not part of our world. Then explain it! What did we do? Why did we deserve this?!"

"I still don't understand!" Lucy cried out. Lisanna's hysteria was being passed onto Lucy. What happened.

"Of course you don't. You're only worried about yourself. You're just like him." With that Lisanna stormed out. Lucy looked over to Mira-Jane. Her eyes held a little distaste.

"I don't…"

"Google Paris." Mira said before rushing after her sister. Shakily Lucy pulled out her phone and googled Paris. She didn't know what to expect. Her slow internet speed took a minute to react but when it did Lucy dropped the phone.

The Eiffel Tower was on fire.

Lucy picked up her phone and stared. Yes, it was definitely the Eiffel Tower. She scrolled through the countless news article until she finally clicked on one. The picture was taken at a great angle. But that also meant she could see clearly what was happening.

There was Natsu. Underneath the tower. Flames engulfing both of them. She could see his grin. Menacing and fearless. Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes. She understood what Lisanna meant. This was her fault. Her rejection probably pushed him to this type of destruction. Was he okay though? Lucy began to read the article.

The article stated he came out of nowhere, lit himself on fire, and like a bomb exploded over the tower. When the smoke cleared up, he was still in one piece but burned with the tower. When the tower collapsed, he was nowhere to be found. Forty-six people were presumed dead.

He was a murderer. Lucy knew that, Lisanna had told her. But knowing it and seeing it were two different things. Her heart constricted and she wanted to cry again. But it wasn't for the people that had passed. It was for the pain that Natsu was suffering. She wanted nothing more than to find him and cradle his head in her arms. She had hurt him.

There was yelling in the next room. Lucy covered her ears and tried to distract herself. This was her fault. She needed to fix this somehow. Natsu was in Paris. She needed to go to him. Who knew how long he would be there for?

Everything would be okay once she saw him. She leaned against the wall and slid down. She hugged her knees and twidled her thumbs.

"Please don't mind her" Mira came out of the bedroom. Stress was evident on her face. She sat down on couch and sighed.

"I'm sorry." Lucy said thoughtlessly. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"It's not your fault that you were cursed to be mated to that thing."

"Excuse you?" Lucy snapped her head towards Mira. Her eyes narrowed at the woman and she gritted her teeth. Lucy felt insulted. What Natsu did was horrible but there was no reason to condemn him harshly. He was heartbroken. Mira knew nothing of their relationship.

"I don't blame you for being defensive. After all you're a human." The dark aura around Mira thickened and Lucy gulped, "You haven't seen his true nature. You're caught up in some romantic fantasy that the two of you can live a happily ever after."

"So what if I am. You never know until you try." Lucy retorted.

"We'll save you the trouble. He's not going to take you back."

"I'm his mate!"

"And he left you."

"I chased him away."

"If he cared for you, he would be here."

"No."

"Lucy, why do you think you're special?" Lisanna came out of the room.

"I'm not special—"

"So you're telling me, that a normal human like you, can subdue the great Dragon Demon Natsu?"

"I uh—"

"Do you even know who he is?"

Lucy got up from her position. She did not want anybody looking down on her. Yes she did not know who Natsu was but she did know that he belonged to her. She knew that her being ached to be with him. There was a pull. A moth to a flame. It was unexplained.

"I don't care who he is, or what he has done. That's all in the past."

"What. He just killed 42 people by burning down the Eiffel tower. You cant tell me you're going to overlook that."

"Yes that's horrible but he's heartbroken."

"Heartbroken my ass! He planned this!" Lisanna yelled.

"I don't believe you!"

"You don't need to believe me. The evidence is yelling at you."

"I don't care."

Mira appeared in front of Lucy before the blonde could even blink. Lucy shrunk to the wall. Mira's eyes squinted and glared at Lucy. Her hands curled and uncurled into fists. Her lips were twitching as if she was trying to contain a scowl.

"Were going to get one thing clear. You don't care about us. We don't care about you." Mira snarled.

Lucy bit her tongue to stop a remark. She wasn't going to lie. Mira scared her.

"Sit."

Lucy reluctantly went to the couch and sat down. Her own hands balled into fists. Gritting her teeth, she felt helpless. No she was helpless. Demons had the upper hand. If they feared Natsu, maybe they wouldn't do anything harmful to her. Lisanna sat down on the other sofa.

"We are left with no choice. We need to end Natsu." Mira started, "There is only one way."

Lucy stayed quiet, not liking the tone Mira was using.

"In our world mates are absolute. For years, nobody knew how to subdue Natsu. We just accepted our fate and endured. But now…"

Mira slowly walked over to Lucy and leaned over. Lucy tried to meet her gaze but the intensity of it had her shying away.

"I'm going to make it short and simple. You are going to kill Natsu."

Lucy's mouth opened wide but no words came out. Kill Natsu?

"Don't think about saying no. You have two choices. Kill Natsu, or we kill Cana and imprison you. We wont kill you though. That's too easy. Your mind will rot. Your body will waste away. You will spend your life in a cramped cell with the your best friends death on your hands."

Lucy shuddered. Her mind racing for answers. Tears threatened to spill over while she dug her nails into her thigh.

"Of course we will train you. In your state I doubt you can even wield a knife properly."

Lucy said nothing. She had nothing to say.

"Oh and one more thing. If you do take your own life. Not only will we kill Cana but we will feed Levi to the rogue vampires."

With those words Mira smiled and proceeded to head to the kitchen. Lucy stared at nothing. Her mouth went dry and she felt her heart constrict. She still didn't understand the situation. It was all too sudden. She glanced at Lisanna. The girl had her gaze downcast with a frown on her face.

Lucy wasn't going to do it. That much she knew. They could threaten her, hurt her, torture her but they couldn't force her to do anything to him. If she was the only one who could approach him safely then Cana would be safe. The beings of this world feared Natsu, Lucy was going to use this to her advantage. For now she would play along with their game.

"What are you thinking?" Lisanna questioned. Her brows were drawn together and she squinted her eyes.

"Nothing" Lucy replied a little to fast.

"There's no escape from this. Don't think about doing anything."

"I wasn't thinking about anything."

"Mira is right you know, you don't know our world. We've lived in fear for over a thousand years. Don't you think we deserve a break? Don't you think all the demons of this world deserve some peace. You haven't experienced the terror that's gripped our hearts. We've lost family, fiends because of him."

"People can change."

"Yes, people can change. But not demons."

Lucy stayed quiet. There was no point in arguing. She took in a deep breath and pushed her legs forward, wanting to get to the safety of her room.

"I'm going to bed."

"We're leaving tomorrow." Mira yelled from the kitchen. Lucy stiffened a little bit. She didn't want to go anywhere but wasn't about to argue with the she-demon. Lucy felt that Mira would rip her throat out without warning. Lucy continued walking. Once she got to her room she quickly dove under her blankets and hid from the world.

* * *

 **I'm trying my best. I've hit writers block. I know where this story is going but not sure how I'm getting there. Please excuse any errors you have found. I've typed this from google docs and not Microsoft word. I don't like this chapter very much but its better than nothing.**

 **Also I work full time, go to school full time, and try to pay attention to my horses as much a I can. Please know, that I will finish this story. No matter how long it takes.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Life does not give me a break. Don't fret, I will see this story to the end. Its already finished in my head...**

 **I apologize for the quality but something is better than nothing, right?**

* * *

Lucy groaned as she was sent flying through the air. Her shoulder hit the wall and she yelped. She didn't have time to worry about that as she darted to the side to avoid an attack. In her haste Lucy tripped over her feet and her face met the floor.

"Dead" Her attacker retorted before sashaying away from Lucy. Lucy pulled herself up and took a deep breath. It had been three days since Mira forced her on a plane and away from her home. As to exactly where she was, Lucy had no idea. They had blind folded her and told her to keep quiet if she wanted to live. As soon as she had arrived to this place, she endured grueling training. Lucy sported multiple bruises on her body and her muscles were sore from the harsh training.

The first day was humiliating. Mira's 'tribe' had taunted her and threw her around like a dish rag. They called her names and bullied her. Lucy did her best to ignore them and tried to fight back but she lacked skills. They said they were training her, but Lucy saw it as torture. On the bright side, she had improved tremendously since the first day. She was much better at dodging their blows and her reflexes had improved.

"Aww does the Dragon Slut want a break?" The woman asked haughtily. She pushed her glasses up higher on her nose and smirked. She stepped forward and charged at Lucy with a baton in her hand. Lucy managed to roll away in time but wasn't able get to her feet fast enough when the baton landed a blow to her calves.

Lucy grunted unladylike as she was sent to the ground again. Her stamina was all but gone and the training session wasn't even close to being over. The rule was she had to get hit her opponent for the session to conclude. They gave Lucy no weapon, or shield. She had to use her body. Apparently, this was supposed to help her if she ended up without a weapon. The logic was there but their methods weren't.

Lucy wanted a break. Needed it. Her muscles ached and burned. Her breaths were short and raspy. She tried to take a deep breath but instead coughed.

"We can't even use you. I say we send your dead body to that scum." The woman slammed her heel into Lucy's back. "Your existence is worthless. I don't know why Mira wants you alive."

"You know why" Mira said as she came through the door smiling sweetly.

"Tsk" The woman dug her heel more into Lucy's back.

"Evergreen, has she landed a blow on you?"

"This scum? You've got to be joking." Evergreen replied. Mira seemed to phase in front of Lucy. She squatted down and looked down on the blonde. Lucy hated her position. She was tired, thirsty, and hungry. Lucy glared back at Mira, hate very evident in her eyes.

"Lucy darling. You have a date with your beloved. Wouldn't it be devastating if you weren't ready?" Mira grabbed Lucy's face and squeezed it. Lucy tried to loosen the hold but Mira was stronger than her, "You know the rules."

Mira got up and walked away, "Again"

Evergreen got off Lucy and walked back to her starting position. Lucy got her feet underneath her and pushed herself up. She faced Evergreen and tried to think of a plan. The last two days she squared off with brunette she barely could land any blows. Lucy was human. Evergreen was a fairy. It was no match.

Wait. Maybe she could use this to her advantage. Lucy squared up and got ready for a body blow. Evergreen flexed her arms and pretended to judge Lucy's posture. Then she took off.

Evergreen slammed into Lucy and tried to send her flying. Instead Lucy grabbed Evergreen in big bear hug and the two women went flying together. Both hit the floor with a thud. Lucy acted quick. She let go of Evergreen and tried to hit the woman as hard as she could in the face. She succeeded.

"You bitch!" Evergreen screamed. She backhanded Lucy, making her neck snap and her head spin. Evergreen grabbed Lucy's hair and threw her against the wall. Dazed in pain, Lucy looked up to see Evergreen walking up to her with murderous rage.

Mira phased in between the two woman and Lucy couldn't help but feel a little relief. Mira wasn't willing to risk the life of their trump card during training.

"Ever, calm down." Mira said

"She tricked me! I can't let that slide!"

"Ever."

"This dragon scum won't get away with it." Evergreen conceded and walked off. Lucy let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"You're done for the day." And then Mira walked off. Lucy sighed. Her head pounded and her scalp burned. What a day. She made her way up and proceeded to walk to her room.

Surprisingly her accommodations were lavish. It was strange prison cell. Lucy deduced that since she was human, the supernatural didn't have to worry about her escaping. First, Lucy didn't not know where she was. So even if she was did try to escape, she didn't know where to go.

Walking into her room, Lucy looked around once again. She had a giant king sized bed to herself. To the side of it was a nightstand. On the other side of the room there was a desk and bookshelf. Since she didn't have access to technology, Lucy settled for books. On her nightstand, she had a couple of books that she was in the middle of reading. As a bonus to the room, there was an adjacent bathroom with a huge bathtub.

Lucy closed her door and went straight to the bathroom. All she wanted was a hot bath to alleviate her stress.

After the bath Lucy got dressed and sat down on her bed. She was hungry but didn't want to make it to the kitchen. People in the house had a strong disliking for her. They called her names and bullied her around. Since she was Natsu's mate, they took their anger out on her. More than once Mira had to intervene and remind her friends that I was a tool in Natsu's destruction. The only safe place for Lucy was her room. So, she spent most of her time in it. Only coming out for food and training.

It was early in the afternoon. Lucy weighed her pros and cons on getting food now. Mira's tribe was probably busy with their own agenda. It could be safe to get food. An encounter with someone was low. Lucy decided to take her chance and go.

Lucy had no trouble getting to the kitchen. She quickly got the eye of the cook.

"Well aren't you early" the cook gruffed.

"Um yeah."

"Chicken or beef"

"Beef."

"You think this is hotel!? You get chicken."

"Okay..."

Lucy stood back and waited for her meal to be prepared. The cook wasn't so bad. At least this cook gave her food. There was another cook who flat out refused to feed her on her first day.

The food was done quickly and shoved into her hands. Lucy thanked her but it went on deaf ears. Lucy scurried to her room and thanked the stars when she didn't encounter anyone. Lucy pulled up her chair to her window and sat down.

Her meal was decent and she quickly devoured it. A few tears rolled down her face as Lucy stared down at the plate. She hated that she was powerless. She was at anyone's mercy. Where was Natsu? Was she really his mate?

Lucy set her plate down and hugged herself. She looked out the window and thought about the dragon demon. These people couldn't not force her to kill Natsu, but they could help her meet him again. Once she was in his presence they couldn't threaten her anymore. He would protect her. For as little as knew about the mating business, she knew one thing. Mates were fiercely protective of what was there's.

There wasn't much Lucy could do to help her situation. She made up her mind to let these people help her learn how to fight. She couldn't go forward in this new world without knowing how to defend herself. After all, Natsu wasn't always going to be there to help her. She didn't want to be a burden to him. She wanted to stand on equal footing with him to the best of her ability. It would never happen with how powerful he was, but she could sure try.

Natsu.

Where was he?

* * *

Weeks turned into months. Lucy didn't have any moments to herself. Evergreen hated Lucy and her training sessions turned for the worst. The taunting by Mira's tribe increased but Lucy did not take it quietly.

"If it isn't the Dragon's whore." a red-haired girl snarled.

"Shove it Sherrie." Lucy gritted her teeth and kept walking. She just got done with a 'training session' and was more irritable than usual. Her skills were increasing which meant the sessions were becoming harder. She was at the point of successfully taking and countering blows at normal speed. Now they were trying to teach her the same at inhuman speed. Evergreen knew it was impossible but they kept trying. These sessions turned to torture sessions. They knew this. They even knew that she knew that they knew.

Sherrie phased in front of Lucy and stuck her foot out. Lucy wasn't able to catch what had happened and tripped over Sherrie's foot.

"Real classy." Lucy muttered as she picked herself up and wiped away the blood from the mouth. Evergreen had sent her flying earlier and she hit the wall hard with her face.

"I just saw scum and decided to put it where it belonged." Sherrie laughed haughtily as she walked away.

"You'll regret that." Lucy replied but Sherrie was gone.

"Lucy after you clean up please see me." Mira appeared out of nowhere.

"Whatever." Lucy walked away. A couple of days ago, rage had begun to build up in her chest. She couldn't explain why but she was itching to fight someone. She knew how to fight now. Her hands trembled when she was faced with someone. It took extreme self-control for her keep her fists to her side when Sherrie tripped her over.

Lucy knew she couldn't win. Hell, she couldn't win against Evergreen. But that didn't subdue her anger.

After cleaning up Lucy made her way to Mira's office. The she-demon spent most of her time in the dwelling. Since she was the head of her coven, it fell on her to keep everyone safe. Lucy hated her. More than anyone in the coven. Mira held Lucy's friends' lives in the balance in exchange for her cooperation.

Lucy knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Lucy walked in. She had only been to this room once before. The room wasn't big and one wall was completely made from glass. It gave a nice view of the field that the mansion sat on. There was only a chair in the room. It was vacant right now. Mira was standing by the glass wall, staring out.

"You've completed your training." Mira started, "It was faster than expected."

"I don't understand" Lucy was perplexed. She still couldn't keep up with Ever while she was using her fairy powers.

"You don't need to..."

"Yes I do!" Lucy took a step forward and gritted her teeth, "It has been hell here. You guys torture and belittle me. I refuse to let that happen anymore."

Mira turned around and smiled sweetly. The sight made Lucy sick. How could she act innocent when she was a horrible person? Did it give her a rush acting that way?

"Lucy darling. You seemed to have forgotten your position. You are nothing but dirt under our feet. The moment fate decided to pair your up with that dragon, you became nonexistent in this world.

"Did you ever wonder why your mother died? Why your father abandoned you? It's you. Your meant to be disposed of. Even Natsu left you. Your unwanted."

"I don't believe that." Lucy retorted. The words still hurt though. It was true she was alone right now. But that only because she had pushed everyone away.

"Yes you do. Or you soon will." Mira turned back around, "You are ready. The anger that you are feeling means you are ready. Just focus you anger on Natsu and killing him will not be a problem."

"Tsk What does my anger have to do with anything."

"Anger will allow you to kill. It will not hold you back. We will send you on a mission. See it as a test run. This will give us a view on how much your skills have progressed."

Lucy didn't say anything.

"We will allow you to rest and heal this next week. We need you in healthy to assess you properly. You can go now."

"Where am I going?"

"You don't need to know."

"Yes I do."

Mira turned around again, this time with a frown on her face. "Lucy, darling."

Lucy gritted her teeth and left

* * *

 **Yes? No? Maybe so?**

 **Let me know**


	19. Chapter 19

**Here is the next chapter. Slowly but surely I have been writing. Please excuse any and all grammar errors.**

* * *

The desert had long gone faded away and was replaced with rolling hills. The lush green grass swayed in the wind. Bushes with flowers sparsely decorated the plains. It was a sure sign that spring had begun. Lucy wondered if there was any animal life around. Maybe the animals avoided the highway. Or maybe it was the wrong part of the day. It was high noon, the hottest part of the day. There could be a watering hole somewhere.

Anything was a welcome sight after being held captive for months. Lucy drank everything up with her eyes. She wanted to see cows or even deer but all she saw was grass. It was okay though. It was just refreshing to see something besides the barren walls of her bedroom. She had her hand idly placed on the window. The window was cool and Lucy longed to open it, to feel the wind through her hair. She smiled a little at the thought. She didn't ask though. She wanted nothing from these people. The months had been devastatingly hard and she wanted nothing more than to be free. There was only one way she could get her freedom. Hopefully everything would work.

Lisanna sat on the other side of the car. The car was a simple town car, made to be driven from point A to point B. The girl had been silent as well, neither wanted to be in each other's company. Since the night Mira Jane had forcefully taken Lucy from her home, the ex-roommates haven't spoken a word to each other. This was mostly due to Lisanna avoiding her. If Lucy had to guess, Lisanna probably went back to their apartment to continue her daily life.

Now, though, Lisanna was back and had been tasked to escort Lucy to her mission. Lucy was a little grateful that it was Lisanna. The girl demon was probably the only one who treated her like a human being and not an object. Still, there was no reason to be excited about their reunion.

They had left early in the morning before the sun had even risen. They only stopped one time to refuel and they were on the road again. Nobody told Lucy about the mission details. She had stopped asking days ago because it was getting her nowhere. She hoped it wasn't an assassination. There was no way she could kill someone.

"We're almost here" the driver broke the silence. Lucy's eye darted from the window to the front windshield. Up ahead the rolling hills were transforming into a forest. Even at high noon they looked ominous. Lucy tried to remember what highway they were on but she hadn't paid attention to any roadside signs. She mentally chided herself. Then again if they weren't in Maryland then road signs would be useless.

"Surprisingly you mission is simple" Lisanna spoke. She didn't look at Lucy. She had her eyes trained out the window. Lucy did not say a word. Too afraid to speak in case she changed her mind about divulging the mission details. It was better to hear it by mouth than to read it on a piece of paper.

"My sister wants a dagger. It's a special dagger. It looks ordinary though. We need you to retrieve it."

A few moments went by and Lucy kept waiting for Lisanna to give more details, "Umm how do I find the dagger?"

"I don't know. I just know it is a dagger." Lisanna sighed.

"Then how is this mission simple its-" Lucy shut her mouth. It was a waste of breath to complain anymore. Everything always fell on deaf ears.

"You will know it when you see it. It has strange aura around it. Almost like a pull. Its hypnotizing." Lisanna said softly. It was as if she was describing it from experience. Her face had relaxed considerably and she was staring off into space. Her eyes glistened as if she was in another time. It was possible that Lisanna had encountered it long time ago. Lisanna never disclosed her real age. She might be several centuries old. Lucy almost opened her mouth to ask but the questions held little importance.

Lucy looked out her window again. Questions buzzing through her mind. The outside scenery changed. Trees and rocks replaced the rolling hills. The temperature took a dive and Lucy felt goosebumps rise on her body. She tried to tell herself it was simply because the road was shielded from the sun. In her gut she knew it was something else. Wherever the destination was, they were going to arrive shortly.

As if on command the car pulled off the road and onto 'a dirt path. The path was filled with ruts, rocks, and debris. It was not a commonly used path and the ride was a bumpy one. They were going at an agonizing slow pace and yet Lucy still had to grab on to the door in order to steady herself. A few times she hit her head against the frame of the car.

Ten minutes later, the driver pulled the car up to a shed. He put it in park and let it idle. Anxiety hit Lucy. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to get out of the car. She wanted to go home. To get into bed and shut the world out. Alas that was not how the world worked, it had an agenda. An unknown agenda where things either worked out for the better or it ended it with death. There were only two, certain options for Lucy. It was either get to Natsu or die trying.

"We're here." Lisanna shifted in her seat, "In the shed you will find everything you need. When you get the dagger come back to this location. There is a transponder in the back pack. When you press it, someone will be here to pick you up."

Lucy nodded. Her eyes traveled to the shed. It looked weather worn. The wood had warped ages ago and it seemed as if it would collapse at any moment. Weeds sprouted from underneath and if you took a closer look you would be able to see critter holes. The inside probably didn't look any different.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy reached for the handle of the door. It was either now or never. The forest air was chilly and Lucy took a deep breath. Her lungs welcomed it and she was able to relax a little. She shut the door and set her eyes on the shed.

"Lucy" A window rolled down and Lucy walked up to it. Lisanna was looking at her with mixed emotions, "Please be safe"

Lucy just nodded. Lisanna meant that statement. Perhaps Lucy would be able to get out of this situation minimally scathed. It warmed her a little that Lisanna still cared. Lucy took a step back and watched the car drive off. She was alone now.

Lucy took another deep breath. This time out of small relief. She was alone. There was no one there to tell her what to do and how to do it. Her mission was clear but it was up to her to decide on how to proceed. And when.

The shed looked even more battered up close. Only one hinge held the door to the frame. The latch seemed to hold the door in place. No doubt when Lucy opened it, it would fall on the ground. Lucy grabbed the handle and hoped it wouldn't fall off. She unlatched the handle and gave it a pull. The door swung open fast, catching Lucy off guard. The bottom had splintered from age and caught her on the ankle. Lucy yelped and jumped back. The door creaked and swung close. It was off centered so it just bounced back and swayed in limbo.

Her leg stung and looking at it, she knew it was going to start bleeding at any moment. She gritted her teeth. Pushing the irritating pain away. Lucy opened the door once more and walked inside. The inside was in no better shape than the outside. In the middle of the floor was a back pack. Kneeling down, she inspected the contents.

There was a sweater, water bottle, knife, granola bars, and a manila envelope. Lucy shoved everything back into the backpack and proceeded to go through the envelope. Sadly, there was no picture of the supposed dagger. There was, however more information about it. It gave its dimensions and weight. These facts were useless. There was no tape measure in the pack, so unless she was going to measure it to certify it was the correct dagger, the information was meaningless. Reading on she found out she had a time limit. She had 3 days. 3 days to find the knife and report back. That wasn't much time. There were no consequences listed if she broke the time limit.

Remembering Lisanna had talked about a transponder, Lucy looked back into the backpack. She found it. It looked like car garage remote. It was simple. Well she better get going. The faster she got this done, the faster she could get to Natsu.

* * *

On the other side of the world found Natsu staring at his reflection. He was inspecting the scripture that cursed his skin. He focused on the bars on his cheeks. He had no regret with what he had done. He would be lying though if he said he didn't miss his other half. Never in the thousand years he was alive had he separated from his dragon. He traced the bars one more time before running his hand through his hair and turning away.

He lit his hand on fire and proceeded to play with the flames. He walked out of the room and went to find Zeref. He had always been Zeref's dog. Nothing was going to change that. Natsu's purpose in life was always to serve him. If there was a time where that wasn't true, Natsu couldn't remember it.

They had taken residence in a mansion outside of Paris. It was secluded enough where nobody could accidentally stumble upon. The mansion had been around for hundreds of years. It had a dungeon in the basement with a maze of catacombs attached to it. They had easy access to Paris from the security of the mansion.

Zeref was in his study. He was spaced out and idly chewed on a pen. Even when Natsu stepped in, Zeref was still in a trance. His death magic was low. It skimmed of Natsu's skin and barely affected his fire. Natsu glanced to Zeref's left hand. He was playing with a ring on his fourth finger. The man was dreaming about his dead mate.

"You called" Natsu broke Zeref out of his trance. The man quickly sat up and got himself organized. He cleared his throat and fixed a stack of papers.

"This era is confusing. It was so much easier when it was only pen and paper. Now it's all digitized and socialized." Zeref grunted as he tried maneuver through his laptop, "Nonetheless we have almost seized the entire continent. The Russians are putting up a resistance. If you had your damn dragon they would have already been subdued."

Natsu walked up to the window that overlooked a small forest. Yes, dominating Europe was easier than expected but Russia had natural defenses. Their winters were harsh and the vast expanse of land with no civilizations made it harder for even a nonhuman to survive.

Over the years, Natsu secured a vast network around the world to come and do Zeref's bidding. It had only taken one phone call for the world to be plunged into chaos. No, not a phone call, a statement. Those who had disobeyed had been eliminated on the spot. Only Australia and Russia had resisted the takeover. They fought back and had succeeded in destroying Zeref's forces. They needed a new plan.

"I need a magician." Zeref stated, "The old one was too weak."

Natsu nodded and left the room. He had been given his next task. Walking out of the study Natsu briefly wondered what was the end goal. There was one. Because every time Natsu asked about it Zeref went cold and his death magic increased to an insufferable degree. He would reply that it was world domination. It wasn't realistic enough. Everyone had a reason for world domination. A passion. Zeref had one but he did not divulge that information with Natsu.

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	20. Chapter 20

**Short chapter but I bet you guys appreciate the update. I'm going to try to get the next chapter out this weekend. You have my new friend to thank for the updates. Shes been coercing me to write.**

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Erza Scarlett was a woman who was not to be trifled with. Even more so with current events. The high council was dead and everybody was fighting for power. They had almost won if it were not for the wild card her husband had played. Now something that she had fought hard for was out of reach.

She glanced over to her partner, Jellal Fernandez, who had his back facing her. His blue hair was messy. The four poster bed was huge and she had to scoot closer in order to try to untangle it. Her fingers snagged at some knots. When it was to her satisfaction she started to run her hand across his back.

Jellal had been her betrothed since she was born. Both were elite vampires that had joined their families into one. Many, many years later they dethroned their parents and ruled over the people. Jellal had always been ruthless towards his enemies, taking what he wanted, discarding what he didn't. Erza had the same personality. The only exception was each other, they gave each other a hundred percent.

It was for the same reason that Erza had followed blindly after Jellal when he began dealing with an unknown entity. This had happened about 400 years ago and she thought nothing of it at that time. But recently he had began to demand soldiers and product from them. Without telling Erza anything, Jellal provided everything that this person demanded. It wasn't until half of their troops had gone missing that Erza stepped in.

* * *

Months Prior

"Where are my soldiers" Erza demanded as she stared at her wicked lover. Jellal was calmly standing, sorting through paperwork. Some went in the trash while others on his desk. His demeanor was calm and one would think that he had not heard the question. Erza, though, knew her husband. He might be acting indifferent but in reality, he was calculating an answer that would not raise suspicion.

This morning she was informed that one of her squads had gone on a mission. Only two people were allowed to dispatch those troops. And those two people were in this room.

"They're out" Jellal replied without looking up. His blue hair was falling into his eyes and he shook it away. Only for it fall back into the same place.

"I can see that. Where did you send them." Erza was getting irritated. She was used to having answers.

"Our sponsor needed them, so I sent them to him."

"Here we go again. This time I want answers. Who is our sponsor. Why are you willing to give him everything." Erza crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Jellal.

"Honey, why are you questioning me now? I told you hundreds of years ago that this day would come. I do not need to be explaining myself to you."

Erza gritted her teeth and marched over to Jellal. She grabbed his arm and whirled him around. She grabbed his jaw with her hand and angled it away from her face. His neck was exposed and she could see his jugular vein. How many times had she fed on it? It enticed her, invited her. Her mouth watered at the thought. She could feel Jellal smirking under her grasp. She yanked his face to her eye level and glared into his eyes.

She was met with mirth dancing in them. This was a joke for him. A game.

"You answer to me." Erza whispered. His smirk grew. Her grip tightened yet he didn't fight her. She let go and shook her hand out. But before she could walk away Jellal grabbed her and pinned her against the desk. Immediately he began kissing her neck. His hand snaked its way behind her and worked its way to the base of her scalp where he entangled his fingers in her hair. Erza grabbed onto the desk behind her to balance herself. His other hand covered her hand and Erza arched her back. She felt teeth against her skin and it lit her on fire. Yet she didn't give in. This was a game to him. It was his way to avoid the subject on hand.

"Jellal"

Her voice was raspy.

Strained.

Her self-control was wavering.

"There is nothing I wouldn't do for you" Jellal replied, his voice low.

The tone made Erza lose all reason. Nothing mattered at the moment. Not the troops. Not his games. Just Jellal. She grabbed his face and crashed their lips together. Both fighting for dominance, neither willing to back off.

He broke away first. She went to bring him back to her but he stopped her. He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes,

"There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you" he hesitated, "Even if its betraying you to keep you safe."

With that he let her go and began working with his documents again. Erza chided herself. She fell for his games again. Without a word she walked out of the room.

Once she left, Jellal leaned against his desk and sighed. His gaze went to the side in thought.

* * *

Present

It wasn't until recently that Erza was able to get the real truth out of Jellal. To say she was shocked was an understatement. This would be a new chapter for their clan. If everything worked according to plan, they would be among the most coveted lords in the world.

Erza sat up and looked to her vanity table. Lying there was the dagger. Its worn leather handle beckoned to be held. The blade looked dull but just touching it would draw blood. It was enchanted yet Erza was strong enough to resist its pull. It was one of the perks of being a pure-blooded vampire. That didn't mean she want to hold it.

Getting out of bed, the woman ambled over and picked it up. It felt as if it was molded to her hand. The leather was soft and supple. She brought it up above her head and studied it. The light gleamed off it and she smiled. Her hand lowered and she walked over to the window. It was new day and there was so much to do.

Her guardian had informed her that the Strauss Demons had begun there move. They somehow had recruited Lucy Heartfilia. They were planning something. Nobody risked the wrath of the Salamander for petty ambitions. Lucky for Erza they had sent Lucy over. Now all she had to do was convert the young woman to their side.

If they did, the realm of possibilities would be wide open.

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	21. Chapter 21

**Hope you guys enjoy :)**

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Lucy made her way through the woods. There was a small worn out path from the little shed. It had overgrown shrubbery hiding it indicating that it wasn't used for some time. Still, Lucy decided to take a gamble and hoped it would lead her to where the dagger was. The time limit had her a little anxious. She decided it was better to find it then relax. She would push that button on the last hour. That way she could get some peace and quiet.

Dusk was approaching fast and the last thing Lucy wanted was to be stuck in the woods in the middle of night. With no source of light, there was a high probability that she could wander the forest aimlessly. Forget the time limit, she could be fodder for any predators lurking around. With those thoughts she lengthened her step and searched harder.

With the brisk pace, her leg throbbed from where the door got her. She forgot to look at it earlier and assess the damage. She didn't have time to do that now. To add, mosquitos where flying around like crazy and she kept having to slap at them. Oh what she wouldn't do for bug spray. The simple things she took for granted came at full force. If she ever made through this ordeal, she would begin to appreciate life a little more.

The path ahead began to become denser and Lucy had to fight her way through. The branches she broke scraped against her skin. The brush irritated her. Welts were already forming and a small rash was beginning.

Lucy stumbled through the shrubbery and came upon a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a mansion. Many of the lights were lit, as if it was expecting someone. Immediately Lucy rushed for some type of cover. If she was caught from the get go there would be no hope left. She needed to calculate her moves accordingly and to ensure that she lived another day.

A portion of the house was not lit up and Lucy rushed over to it. The windows were shut. She pressed herself against the wall and made her way around. This led her to what seemed like a cellar. The cellar had a lock on it but upon closer inspection it was dummy locked. Looking around one more time, she quickly took the lock off and entered the cellar.

The cellar did not have a musty smell that was characteristic to most cellars. What it did smell like was wine. Sweet red wine. The space was dimly lit and barrels of wine were illuminated. The barrels themselves were made of quality wood. Beside the barrels there were shelves of wine. Each bottle had an intricate design with a gold label.

Lucy walked up to the wine and picked up the bottle. A writing she didn't recognize stared back at her. The bottle itself looked very expensive and if she had to guess, then the label was made from real gold. On impulse, Lucy put the bottle of wine in her backpack. This was going to be her celebratory drink when she retrieved the dagger. She smiled at the thought of tasting the wine. If it tasted half as good as it smelled then she was in for a treat.

Getting back onto the task, Lucy found the door to the house with no problem. It was unusually quiet. With the amount of lights on there had to be some kind of commotion going on. But there was nothing. It would be a waste of electricity if that was the case. These people had to be rich. No, they were rich. The mansion, the wine, and the amount of electricity they were using. There was no question about it. The question was, how rich? Did they have bodyguards? Spies? The difficulty of the mission rose.

The first rooms that Lucy encountered were empty. The part of the mansion she was in was dark. It must be a private wing. If it was, then it would make sense that something as valuable as the dagger would be in this part of the house. Lucy mentally cheered. Maybe this dagger would be a lot easier to find. She might be drinking that wine a lot sooner than she thought.

The next room she found had double doors. Thinking nothing of it Lucy slid through. The room was darker than the others so she quietly placed her hand on the wall and walked along side it, trying to feel anything in her path.

The lights immediately switched on.

* * *

To say that Lucy's heart stopped would be an understatement. She choked on her breath but refused to make any sound. She stood frozen, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness.

"We've been expecting you."

It was a woman's voice. She recognized it. It filled her with dread and a new fear engulfed her. Lucy turned her head and looked straight at Erza Scarlet.

Lucy tried to open her mouth to respond but fear wouldn't allow it. She was facing the same woman who tried to feed her to the vampires. The man who had kept quiet at the time was also there.

"It seems like Mira-Jane made a mistake." Erza smiled, "Come, sit down"

The scarlet hair woman gestured to a chair. She walked over to it and pulled it out to her. Lucy felt the effects of shock wearing off and quickly willed herself to run to the door. Instantly the man in the room phased himself in front of the door. Lucy stared into the blue eyes of the man. His blue hair fell into his eyes but that did not dampen his intimidation. If anything, it amplified it.

"Come, sit." Erza repeated herself, "We won't hurt you."

"Like I would trust you."

Lucy uttered the words before she could think them. She slapped her hand over her mouth and backed away from the blue haired man. Her eyes darted between the two beings. This was not good. She failed her mission. How mad would Lisanna be if she activated the transponder empty handed.

"I understand your hesitance since last time we almost killed you, but this time it's different." Erza responded. Lucy did not believe them.

"The Salamander saved you." The blue haired man said. His words tumbled out with no emotion. Lucy looked at him. He was stoic and expressionless. It was hard to get a read on him. Who was he?

"If we believed you at the time, we would've let you go immediately. Maybe then we wouldn't have lost so many men." Erza added.

"I don't understand" Lucy hesitantly said. Her guard was up and like riding a bike, all her training from the previous months came rushing in. She began analyzing their movement, looking for any weakness they may have.

"You are after all, the Salamanders mate." The man walked over to Erza.

"How do you know that?"

"I have known Salamander for a very long time. And not once in his life has he ever saved anyone. Him saving a female can only mean one thing. You are his other half."

There was conviction in his voice. This man knew things. Things that weren't supposed to be known. Lucy didn't know if she believed in mates. But she knew what she felt for Natsu was real and it was worth exploring.

"We broke up"

"All you humans are the same. You take relationships lightly. In our world, mates are absolute. They are the reason we even exist. My question is, why are you not marked? Why are you away from him?"

"Like I said, we broke up."

"Something happened. What is the Salamander planning?"

"Jellal, you are attacking her. Lucy please come sit. I'll have something brought up so you can eat." Erza smiled. There was an agenda behind that smile.

"I'll stand"

"Mira-Jane is up to something. She is risking the wrath of the Salamander." Erza sat down in the chair that she had offered Lucy. She crossed her arms and inspected her nails. It was evident she got tired of playing hostess.

"Come to our side and well give you protection against her." Erza stated without looking up.

"What? Out of one fire pit and into another one? No thank you."

"We'll take you to him." Jellal interjected. "Our sources say that you are being held against your will at the Strauss compound. Tell us what you know and we will take you to him."

"If not then we will send you back. I wonder how well they would take it if you came back empty handed." Erza said as she took out a dagger and placed it on the table. The woman looked up and stared at Lucy. Her eyes had narrowed. She was threatening Lucy.

Lucy stared at the dagger and knew. It looked so ordinary but the power that radiated from it was a dead giveaway. This was the dagger she was looking for.

"Who are you people?" Lucy asked with a shaky voice. Somehow, she doubted they were human.

"I am king of all who are undead. I am the descendant of long line of purebred vampires. My beloved is Queen of the Fairies. She is the strongest of her kind. We rule those who are lesser than us."

There was a silence following Jellal's answer. The tension was thick, somebody could've cut it with a knife. Lucy sucked in her breath. These beings were out of her league. If they were human she would've had a chance. Maybe even if they were underlings.

But royalty? Her hands shook and she knew there was no way of getting out of this situation. She looked at the dagger. She was staring at the mission. She was so close, yet so far away.

"They want me to kill Natsu." Lucy whispered, eyes trained on the blade. She couldn't look away. Something about it compelled her to tell the truth. They did say they would take her to Natsu. It was a chance she had to take. It was the only available option to her. Who knew what torture awaited her if she went back empty handed. These people almost killed her last time but they seemed to respect Natsu much more than Mira-Jane's tribe.

Erza and Jellal looked at each other and then at the dagger, then at Lucy. There was silence. Frantic words spilled out.

"Its-"

"We could-"

"Ours."

The couple seemed to have a complete conversation in the span of seconds. They were on the same wavelength and Lucy felt a pang of longing. She missed being in tune with someone. Would it be possible to have that again with Natsu?

"Please. Can you take me to him?"

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. They were desperate and it shocked her. Would she beg and plead to get to him? Yes. Would she risk her life to do so? She would.

The whole point of this mission was to get to Natsu. She wanted to see him. To apologize to him. The need to be with him overrode everything. It was all she could think about lately. It was the only thing that got her through the torturous months.

It was at this moment Lucy realized she would do anything to be with Natsu

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